Our troops and their families
A youth and a veteran
Wounded warrior receives a Caring Coin
During the past four years, volunteers of all ages have joined us in sponsoring and distributing over 25,000 Caring Coins with individually sponsored Me to You Cards to our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, to the returning wounded, veterans and families of fallen heroes. Many of the troops wear their Caring Coins with their dog tags.
The You Are Never Alone Foundation along with many volunteers has shared over 5,000 individually sponsored Caring Coins with the troops preparing to go to Afghanistan and their families at the seven Yellow Ribbon Pre-Deployment Events throughout Vermont this fall and winter.
The wooden Caring Coins are reminders to the troops and their families that many people care about them and are grateful to them for their service to our country and also for the many sacrifices they are making on our behalf.
It has been an honor to meet these wonderful men and women of all ages who could be our spouses, sons, daughters, brothers, sisters and in some cases even our grandchildren. This first hand opportunity to meet and speak with the troops and their families has been a very touching experience for each of us who participated. The caring and support which accompanies each coin is very much appreciated by each recipient.
The You Are Never Alone Foundation thanks all of our volunteers and the students in our Share That You Care Programs for helping with assembling and signing cards attached to the Caring Coins. Also thank you to all our many individual contributors whose names were on the cards attached to the coins.
We continue to share Caring Coins with our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan; with the returning troops through the VA Hospital in White River Junction and with the Wounded Warriors.
An additional 1,500 Caring Coins have gone to the Soldier and Family Assistance Center at Fort Hood, Texas.
The magic of the Caring Coins is seen in the following responses:
"I received a coin sent from a kid who signed his name on the back of the coin. Imagine my surprise when I realized he was the grandson of my favorite English teacher in high school. There are no coincidences."
a soldier in Iraq
"My Angel Coin helps me get through each day. I wear it around my neck with my dog tags and find comfort knowing it's there..."
a soldier
"I know how lonely and forgotten many of the veterans feel. Many eyes lit up when the youth brought the Caring Coins. Thank you!"
a social worker at the Veterans Home
"I have the opportunity to share the Caring Coins with the returning wounded. Some feel forgotten already. The Caring Coins remind them that someone cares. You can see the gratitude in their eyes. The Caring Coins are gifts of hope."
Intake person at a VA Hospital
"The angel coins went over really well in Iraq. People kept them on their desks at work, or in a pocket. It meant a lot to us to know that people were thinking of us, and praying for us while we were over there. Having a small token to look at or carry around was good b/c it was a tangible thing to help us remember. I know that the reason that I made it out of there, is because of all of the prayers from the folks back home. I think that maybe the families of deployed soldiers might benefit from the coins as well. It could serve as a prayer reminder for those that are away."
a troop commander
"I’ve been lying here in bed thinking that I am the only person who is going through what I’m going through. Then I got one of these wooded coins that says You are never alone and I started thinking, I am not the only one going through this. I’m really not alone am I? Thanks to whoever it was that gave this to me..."
a wounded veteran