Vets run Soldiers' Angels Warehouse

Soldiers’ Angels proudly announces the opening if its first Angel-operated warehouse, staffed by four recent veterans and Angel volunteers. The warehouse consolidates and streamlines SA’s extensive packing, shipping and screen-printing activities in support of the troops, reducing the organization’s overhead expenses and providing an employment opportunity for veterans.

“It’s a better bang for benefactors’ bucks,” explains Soldiers’ Angels Operations Manager Toby Nunn, who oversaw development of the warehouse. Located across the street from Brooke Army Medical center in San Antonio, Texas—a city with the highest concentration of wounded and other active duty soldiers in the United States—the 10,000-square-foot facility reduces shipping costs for SA by its proximity to one of the largest targets of SA’s troop support efforts.

In addition to the reduction in overhead, the cost of paying for the warehouse staff itself fits the mission of Soldiers’ Angels by supporting veterans . “Staffing it with recent veterans helps provide a soft-landing for their transition to civilian life,” Nunn explains. “It surrounds them with like-minded people as they learn the corporate world.” This is especially helpful for those who may be struggling, Nunn says with enthusiasm. “You can’t say, ‘You don’t get it.’ Because you’re looking at a bunch of people who do.”

Another benefit of the location is its easy access for families with patients at BAMC who drop by for the relaxation of being among people who understand. Family members and mobile patients often find enjoyment in pitching in. “Right now we have a couple of families and even a Ft. Hood shooting victim helping out with the Holiday care packages,” says Nunn. “We’ve been shipping out about one semi per day.”

Next door to the warehouse is 3,000 square feet of exhibit space that will be used for military-themed book signings, video/movie screenings, SA leadership meetings, and more. Part of the exhibit space will house a permanent installation of the Tribute to Heroes and Angels museum, and the facility will also support a program of music therapy and music lessons for wounded veterans.

Soldiers' Angels co-founder Jeff Bader says the entire facility is more than a base of operations. “It will be a home--a home for our volunteers and supporters, our active duty and retired military friends, and most importantly a home away from home for our returning and wounded troops and their families.”