When the World Gets Harder, Our Supporters Rise Higher: December Impact Report
Nonprofit work has never been for the faint of heart. It requires resilience, creativity, and the belief that, even in difficult times, we can make life better for someone else. In 2025, the world asked a great deal of our deployed service members. Deployments were extended, resources became scarce, and morale was tested in some of the harshest and most isolated environments around the globe. According to the U.S. Department of Defense, deployed service members experience higher stress during extended missions. Yet despite every obstacle, one truth remained constant: our supporters refused to give up on our troops. Forgotten Soldiers Outreach remains committed to supporting deployed troops through every challenge they face.
December by the Numbers: Nearly 7,000 Deployed Troops Reached
This December alone, the demand for support through Forgotten Soldiers Outreach surged in extraordinary ways. In just one month, we received:
• 15 new units requesting ongoing support
• 42 squads newly registered for morale packages
• 34 first-time individual requests for “We Care” packages
• 6,773 total recipients — approximately 7,000 deployed men and women
To put this into perspective: the number of troops reaching out to us in December alone equals what we once saw over many months. Word is spreading across bases, ships, and remote outposts that Forgotten Soldiers Outreach is here, and that support from home is still possible. This December Impact Report highlights the growing need for supporting deployed troops across multiple regions.
Behind every registration is a real person, a real unit, and a real story. December’s data shows what our deployed service members are facing every day:
• Shortages of basic, nutritious food and snacks
• Strained morale in harsh and isolated environments
• Female service members without access to essential hygiene items
• Troops sharing a single package because many receive little or no mail
• Leaders registering entire formations to protect morale
These stories send a clear message: our deployed troops are not asking for luxury, they are asking not to be forgotten.
A Snapshot of December’s Global Footprint
In December, our support reached military personnel across the globe. The men and women we serve were stationed in:
• The Middle East – Kuwait, Qatar, Iraq, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain
• Europe – Poland, Romania, Latvia, Germany, Kosovo
• Africa – Djibouti and surrounding regions
• The Indo-Pacific – Japan, South Korea, remote island bases
• Afloat – aircraft carriers, destroyers, and amphibious assault ships
Across all locations, the message is the same:
“Thank you for remembering us.”
“Anything you can send will help.”
Why This December Matters
December is more than a busy month, it is a warning and an opportunity.
First, the surge in registrations shows rising need. Extended deployments, limited resources, and unpredictable conditions are creating emotional and physical strain, a trend supported by research from the RAND Corporation. Care packages and letters from home are not luxuries, they are lifelines. Organizations like the USO have long highlighted the vital role that care packages play in boosting troop morale during extended deployments.
Second, it demonstrates growing trust in our mission. One package leads to another unit registering. One thank-you letter leads to a squad signing up. Hope travels across continents. These trends show why supporting deployed troops will remain a critical part of our mission in 2026
The Work of 2026 Begins Now
Serving approximately 7,000 recipients in one month is both an honor and a serious responsibility.
At the same time, costs continue to rise. Shipping alone often exceeds the retail value of the items inside each box. Yet for the person opening that package thousands of miles away, the contents are priceless—a reminder of home, a moment of comfort, and proof that someone cares.
As we look toward 2026, we know:
• More units will register
• More service members will ask for help
• More care packages will be needed
We intend to say “yes” as often as possible, but we cannot do it alone.
How You Can Help Us Meet This Need
Thank You for Rising Higher When the World Gets Harder
In a year when everything felt at least twice as hard, you rose twice as high. Your generosity traveled into deserts, across oceans, onto flight decks, and into remote outposts where comforts are few.
From every soldier who opened a box and smiled for the first time that week, from every sailor sharing snacks with their shipmates, from every airman who wrote that our letters made them feel seen, thank you.
As long as they serve, we will serve. And we are grateful you stand with us.
Meaningful ways to support deployed troops in the months ahead:
• Sponsor a “We Care” package ($30–$50 helps stock and ship one box)
• Adopt a unit to support a specific team or deployment
• Become a monthly donor to help us sustain inventory and expand reach
• Share our mission to help more people understand the needs of deployed service members
Every contribution becomes a reminder to someone far from home that they are seen, supported, and remembered.