OOIDA members are once again making a direct impact on veterans through the long-running Truckers For Troops program, which continues to fund outreach and support services for former and active military.
Launched in 2007 by the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, the program has raised more than $800,000 through donations from professional drivers. That funding goes toward veterans organizations and care packages for military personnel stationed overseas.
One of the main beneficiaries is the Veterans Community Project (VCP), a Kansas City, Missouri-based nonprofit focused on ending veteran homelessness. VCP’s model provides small homes and one-on-one wraparound services to help veterans rebuild long-term stability.
On Sept. 25, representatives from Truckers For Troops traveled to the VCP Village in Longmont, Colorado. They delivered 250 backpacks — half filled with work-related items and half stocked with winter gear — along with a $10,000 donation.
OOIDA Executive Vice President Lewie Pugh handled the presentation and made sure members received the credit they’re due.
“Their generous donations are what make this happen,” Pugh said. “Truckers are always willing to answer the call.”
This Colorado delivery continues a string of recent support. In 2024, Truckers For Troops also visited VCP sites in Sioux Falls, S.D., and St. Louis, providing $10,000 at each location and backpacks packed with everyday essentials.
Pugh says seeing the impact firsthand never gets old.
“It is always such a wonderful experience to visit any VCP location,” he said. “The staff is always so happy and excited to receive us and is so dedicated to the mission. I wish everyone could see and experience what the VCP really does.”
OOIDA’s director of public relations, Norita Taylor, highlighted how meaningful the most recent visit felt.
“There were a couple of residents who chose to join us on our tour of the facility. One of them gifted us a walking stick he made by hand from a branch he found while hiking nearby,” Taylor said. “We always learn a great deal on these trips and look forward to watching the VCP grow in their locations.”
Truckers For Troops continues to focus on real, practical support — the kind that reaches veterans directly and shows them they’re not forgotten.
Source: Land Line Media
