Red Shirt Friday

Cardinal Health Writes Prescription to Help Military Families

2008-08-19T08:35:00.000-07:00

RADCLIFF, KY USA Cares, a Kentucky-based nonprofit organization that provides financial assistance to military families in need, today announced that Cardinal Health is the latest corporate supporter of its "Red Shirt Friday – I Care Too! campaign.

USA Cares’ Red Shirt Friday – I Care Too! campaign seeks increase awareness and funds to support Army, Navy, Marine, Air Force and Coast Guard service members by selling more than 165,000 t-shirts – one for every service member in Iraq and Afghanistan. Corporate and other campaign participants are encouraged to wear the red t-shirts every Friday to demonstrate their support for U.S. troops. Cardinal Health purchased nearly 600 shirts for employees in its Radcliff, Kentucky customer service center, which provides essential support to the company’s hospital and retail pharmacy customers, nationwide.

"Our involvement in USA Cares’ Red Shirt Friday- I Care Too! campaign was very positively received by everyone you see here today," said Paul Rogers, vice president of Customer Service at Cardinal Health, as he stood before an assemblage of the company’s red-shirt-clad customer service center employees. "Cardinal Health has always had a policy of supporting the community and it’s our sincere pleasure to share this tangible expression of our support for local military families, particularly those in the Radcliff and Fort Knox area."

Joining the Cardinal Health team was the USA Cares’ Board of Directors, who wanted to share a moment with this valued supporter. "Cardinal Health has been a kind of guardian angel to our organization for quite some time. The continued growth of our Military Family Assistance Center was assisted by a grant from Cardinal Health. Our ‘Cardinal Room,’ which houses additional staff, was renovated and furnished by a grant from Cardinal Health less than one year ago," said Major General John Tindall, US Army (Retired); president of USA Cares.

Kim Moorman, USA Cares director of business development, leads the Red Shirt Friday – I Care Too! campaign and said, "This is the first Fortune 100 company to participate in our Red Shirt Friday – I Care Too! campaign, and it is inspiring to see what a global leader can do when their employees embrace a grassroots effort such as this." She continued, "We hope that Cardinal Health’s participation will inspire other companies of all sizes to get involved in supporting this campaign to demonstrate their respect for the sacrifices that military families make while their loved ones are away in Iraq or Afghanistan."

A portion of the Red Shirt Friday – I Care Too! Campaign’s proceeds are used to fund administration of the Military Family Assistance Center, which responds to more than 100 new requests per week. To date more than 10,000 shirts have been purchased. A list of participating companies can be found at www.icarefriday.org, where the shirts can be purchased in lots of 25 or more and can be customized with group, organization or company name.

About Cardinal Health

Cardinal Health is an $87 billion, global company serving the health care industry with products and services that help hospitals, physician offices and pharmacies reduce costs, improve safety, productivity and profitability, and deliver better care to patients. Ranked No. 19 on the Fortune 500, Cardinal Health employs more than 40,000 people on five continents.

About USA Cares

USA Cares is a worldwide non-profit 501 (c)(3) organization serving US Military Service Members of all ranks and branches and their families with direction and advice along with grant assistance for quality of life issues caused by military service. Continuing into their sixth year of accomplishment, USA Cares has received requests from over 10,000 Service Members and families with millions of dollars in organizational and found resources. In partnership with The Homeowners Preservation Foundation, USA Cares has also saved hundreds of military homes from foreclosure across the Nation. Funding for the organization is provided through the generous contributions of corporations, organizations and individuals. For more information on USA Cares contact John Revell at jrevell@usacares.org and visit www.usacares.org.
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Boonedock’s See’s Red on Fridays

2008-08-19T08:30:00.000-07:00

Vine Grove , KY Sherry Boggs the owner of Boonedock’s located at 6645 Flaherty Road in Vine Grove, KY was excited to hear about the Red Shirt Friday program at USA Cares and didn’t hesitate when asked if she would be interested in joining the team. Sherry herself having been in the Air Force and her husband Joseph in the Army knew full well that there community was very pro military only made the decision that much easier.

The manager of Boonedock’s, Rich Mixon, went to Sherry when Paul Sarro, one of USA Cares Family Resource Coordinators mentioned the Red Shirt Friday program to him. Sherry immediately came out to the table they were sitting with a check and wanted to know what she needed to do to help support our troops and military families.

Sherry said "helping the troops, their families and our veterans is something I am very passionate about and I want to do everything I can to show support for our brave men and women." She went on adding that Boonedock’s offer free taxi service back to Post from the restaurant/club and her team at Boonedock’s makes sure that all soldiers and their families know they are always welcome. Sherry wants to do more with the community and is already talking to Kim Moorman, Director of Business Development at USA Cares, about hosting an event to help show their support and give something back to Military Families through the efforts of USA Cares.

The Red Shirt Friday program being in effect for about a year has really grown with approximately 10,000 shirts already sold and provides a simple way for companies and organizations to show they care and support our troops and military families. With the purchase of a minimum of 25 shirts a business or organization can customize the back with its name and then wear them every Friday to show support. Some companies are offering discounts to those that wear their Red "I Care Too" shirts into their business and others continue the support by purchasing extra shirts to sell and then donate the proceeds back to USA Cares.

Still others purchase them for their employees to wear. Whichever way people choose they all say the same thing "I CARE TOO" and with the sale of each and every shirt, portions of the proceeds go directly help more military families with quality of life issues. For more information about joining the Red Shirt Friday teams go to www.icarefriday.org or contact Kim Moorman directly at 800-773-0387.

KIAWANIS of SOUTH ORLANDO GO RED

2008-01-18T13:53:00.000-08:00

Orlando, Florida - The Kiwanis Club of South Orlando after hearing about a program to demonstrate support for the troops from Cherylynn Maikkula, USA Cares Director for Strategic Development, immediately joined the growing ranks of Americans who wear red on Friday for the sake of our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Special Events Coordinator, Thomas Kirk said, “It was the easiest decision I have made in a long time.” “There is no question that our troops need to know they have the support of millions of Americans and this is one more way that we can not only visibly demonstrate that support, but also know that a portion of our money goes to helping one of the best military charities in the Nation”, Kirk continued.

The program originated as an email campaign that encouraged Americans to wear a red shirt on Friday, but was quickly picked up by USA Cares who added the “I Care Too!” icon and supporting names to the shirt. USA Cares, headquartered in Radcliff Kentucky has enrolled a number of local and regional businesses including banks, movie theaters and the regional restaurant chain of Huddle House in the program.

“I would encourage any organization or group to join the I Care Too! Campaign, now is the time for us to be loud and proud of our troops!” Kirk said.

Kiwanis Club of South Orlando

Active Kiwanis Club, meetings are held on Wednesdays at 1940 Conway Gardens Road, Orlando, (407) 898-1941. Their Website is: http://www.southorlandokiwanis.com/. Kiwanis is a global organization of volunteers dedicated to changing the world, one child and one community at a time. For information or questions within the Central Florida area, please contact Thomas Kirk at (321) 297-9024 or email the National Headquarters at http://www.kiwanis.org/ .

Radcliff Kentucky and the Red Shirt Brigade

2008-01-11T12:30:00.000-08:00

Congratulations and thanks to the Radcliff and Elizabethtown Holiday Inn staff who joined the Red Shirt Friday Brigade in January.

Other additions already this month are the staffs of West Point Bank also located in Radcliff. Radcliff is truly turning red on Fridays. Dr. Gabhart, an Elizabethtown dentist and his staff also going the Red Shirts.

And this can give you an idea of how great is to see folks out about town, this is the ladies of USA Cares at a local Applebee’s, who has been a great supporter of USA Cares over the years.

We had a visitor to USA Cares this week, that I will be telling you more about, but the real deal is that when you see the courage that this young man displays, and his desire to help his fellow soldiers, it is inspiring.

Roger

Nolin Electric - Elizabethtown Kentucky

2007-12-31T06:04:00.000-08:00

I Care Too

Nation rallies to support armed forces

Nolin RECC President & CEO Mickey Miller proudly wears his I CARE TOO red t-shirt. The co-op is participating in Red Fridays and purchased the shirts for employees to show support for all military service members and their families.

You may have noticed several people in the community wearing red on Fridays! It’s not just a new fashion, it’s a new way to show support for our military troops. The ultimate goal is to have every business and organization across the nation wear their red I CARE TOO shirts. The shirts symbolize red-blooded Americans who appreciate and honor all military service members and their families.

A local agency, USA Cares, initiated the Red Fridays campaign to bring awareness and generate support to their mission of providing military service members and families in crisis with needed help. USA Cares helps members of all ranks and all branches with financial support and critical resources in their time of need.

This nonprofit organization began in March of 2003, and is headquartered in Radcliff, Kentucky. “Roger Stradley of Radcliff, a retired Command Sergeant Major, is one of the founders,” says USA Cares Communications Director Barbara Yaw Dawson. “We have answered the call for assistance from more than 8,000 military members or their families across America and provided or located more than $5,000,000 of support, all in the form of grants and in-kind donations,” says Dawson.

USA Cares is funded by contributions from corporations, organizations, and individuals. The money is used for necessities like food, clothing, utilities, and housing. The Radcliff office answers about 110 new calls a week from families in need. Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, National Guard/Reserve, makes no difference, USA Cares stands ready to support military families and service members across the nation and around the world.

Do you care too? If so, wear your I CARE TOO red shirt on Fridays. For more information, contact Kim Moorman, USA Cares, at (800) 773-0387 or (270) 352-5451, or visit their Web site at http://www.usacares.us/

USA Cares Red Shirt in Action

2007-12-30T11:05:00.000-08:00

On the day before Christmas, USA Cares Board of Director Dennis Cortes and his son, Joey are on hand to congratulate Navy Seal Mark Robbins on the new truck that USA Cares was instrumental in funding for this wounded warrior. See the full story here. As you can see, Dennis is wearing one of our distinctive red shirts!
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This was an amazing story of courage and sacrifice, and as this young man moves on to his next life after the Navy, he will have a vehicle that supports his needs and provides him with the dignity he so richly deserves.
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Roger
USA Cares