SoldierStrong

SoldierStrong (formerly SoldierSocks) is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization whose mission is to improve the lives of the men and the women of the United States Armed Forces.

That mission has taken several key forms since SoldierStrong was founded in 2009. SoldierStrong has provided basic supplies to frontline troops, shipped holiday items to troops and veterans, and now provides cutting-edge medical rehabilitation devices to injured and paralyzed veterans, along with scholarships for veterans seeking to finish their education with a focus on continuing their public service in non-military careers.

History
SoldierStrong got its start in Stamford, Connecticut in 2009. The organization was co-founded by philanthropist and businessman Chris Meek in response to a July 2009 letter from Sergeant Major Luke Converse. Converse requested help in obtaining socks and baby wipes for his Marines serving in Afghanistan who were having difficulty getting these types of supplies at forward operating locations.

Shortly after receipt of this letter, Meek formed a 501(c)(3) to help raise funds and gather basic supplies for the troops. In its first six weeks, SoldierStrong shipped over 1,100 pounds of supplies to Sgt Major Converse and his US Marine Corps unit fighting in Afghanistan.

By December 2014, SoldierStrong had shipped over 25 tons of personal hygienic supplies to US Armed Forces serving in Iraq and Afghanistan, supplying over 60,000 pounds of supplies to 74 units fighting overseas.

SoldierStrong broadened its reach in the fall of 2010 to include a new initiative with a similar objective. The group created SoldierSanta in an effort to send gifts to the troops for them to open during the holiday season.

As the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan wound down, SoldierStrong expanded its mission to aid returning military servicemen and women with innovative rehabilitation technology and educational opportunities through its SoldierSuit and SoldierScholar programs.

SoldierStrong has expanded its original Northeast focus and has held drives countrywide from Boston, Massachusetts to Alamo, Texas to Hollywood, California. Fundraising efforts have been made by Elementary and High Schools, Colleges and Universities, Cub Scout groups, Boy Scouts of America, Girl Scouts of the USA, nursing homes, Police and Fire Departments and Fortune 500 companies.

Partnerships
Since its inception, SoldierStrong has partnered with a host of local organizations in its drive to supply troops with basic necessities. In addition to local businesses and organizations, elected officials and community leaders have also assisted in this initiative. Connecticut’s Hope Street Pharmacy was the first local organization who offered to partner with SoldierStrong. After Hope Street Pharmacy, Soldier Socks attracted numerous other partners from the local community including The New Balance store in New Canaan, CT, Reveal Hair Salon in Stamford, CT, the Stamford Public Elementary Schools, the Stamford Fire and Police Departments, and Vineyard Vines to name a few. SoldierSocks works with the Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 49 and Air National Guard out of Stewart Air National Guard Base in Newburgh, New York. In November 2009, The Elvis Duran and the Morning Show teamed up with SoldierStrong and pushed the organization onto the national scene via their network of syndicated radio stations in over 30 markets across the country. WWE and Elvis Duran and the Morning Show helped to collect more than 12,000 pair of socks and 2,500 pounds of supplies. The Connecticut General Assembly partnered with SoldierSocks in December 2009 for a drive at the Connecticut State Capitol building in Hartford, Connecticut. They were able to collect more than 500 pounds of tube socks. Former Lieutenant Governor Michael Fedele along with US Senators Joe Lieberman and Scott Brown Scott Brown have lauded the program along with several other elected and business leaders. In July 2012, SoldierStrong expanded its efforts launching the new Soldier Socks Veterans Grant Foundation to help those returning from the frontlines of battle. Corporate sponsors included Sports Illustrated Magazine and Cablevision.

SoldierScholar Program
In June 2012, SoldierStrong launched a scholarship initiative partnering with the Maxwell School at Syracuse University and the Walsh School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University.

SoldierSuit
In July 2013, SoldierStrong again set its focus on returning veterans and further expanded the scope of its mission. Partnering with Ekso Bionics, the latest efforts are aimed at raising money to aid paralyzed returning veterans in walking again. In October 2013, SoldierStrong launched a fundraising campaign to raise funds to provide these mechanized suits to veterans. In December 2013, SoldierStrong donated its first suit to a veteran who became paralyzed when his truck drove over an IED in Afghanistan. Their initial goal was to deliver 10 of these suits to wounded and paralyzed veterans. That commitment subsequently grew to 90 suits over four years.

In the spring of 2013, the Milwaukee VA Medical Center (Wisconsin) hosted Ekso Bionics to demo the mechanized suit. In December 2013, SoldierStrong donated the suit to a wounded veteran seeking treatment at the Milwaukee VA. SoldierStrong delivered its next suit to the VA Boston Healthcare System, followed by 2014 donations to VA Medical Centers in Palo Alto, Richmond, Dallas, Oklahoma City, New Orleans and New York City (Bronx).

In December 2014, SoldierStrong expanded the scope of the SoldierSuit to include paralyzed arms when they announced a partnership with Myomo, a supplier of myoelectric orthotics, with the established goal of purchasing 120 of their MyoPro myoelectric arm braces for veterans.

Recognition
On April 2, 2014, SoldierStrong Chairman Chris Meek was presented with the Orange Circle Award for the groups' philanthropic work. Presented by Syracuse University, the award recognizes members of the SU community who have done extraordinary things in the service of others.

SoldierStrong received the President's Call to Service Award from President Barack Obama

On December 8, 2014, SoldierStrong held their inaugural Awards Ceremony at the Union League Club of New York, where it awarded its 2014 Commitment to Service Award to FOX News anchor Martha MacCallum and the 2014 Corporate Leadership Award to Stamford, CT-based United Rentals, Inc.