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By Chuck N. Baker

(Henderson) ‚Äî Despite the challenges of supplying healthy food to the desert, American servicemen and women in the Middle East can pretty much count on having healthy food to eat. But combatants do not necessarily want to live by government meals alone. Fortunately, they don’t have to because of the tireless efforts of special southern Nevadan. Gold Star mom Suni Chabrow works to provide snacks, cakes and other comfort goodies to the U.S. fighters serving in the hot desert.

Such goodies are not normally the standard fare of the Army, Air Force or Marine Corps.  But those wanting something “more” can’t just walk to a corner convenience store because they don’t exist in the desert, except in dreams or as a mirage. After the death of her Army son in Kandahar, Chabrow established the Douglas J. Green Memorial Foundation to assemble and ship packages full of goodies to the military serving in Afghanistan.

Last month, Chabrow held her fifth annual Munchies 4 the Military event and she had a lot of help. The event was held at Liberty High School, where hundreds of students and others showed up on a weekend to help assemble the packages. Chabrow calls them ‚Äúcare packages‚Äù after the WWII efforts that sent upper case “CARE” packages to G.I.‚Äôs overseas. Her boxes are filled with breakfast items, snack foods, beef jerky, nuts, dried fruit, protein, and granola bars. The packages even include some non-edible items such as wet wipes, soap and toothpaste. 

In addition to the students, she was aided by several airmen from Nellis AFB and executives from the nearby Inspirada neighborhood. Communications Coordinator Kevin Taylor and official Brian Kunec were on hand to help keep things in order. Taylor said his company‚Äôs charitable committee has a history of helping veterans. Last year the firm donated food to a local Veterans of Foreign Wars post to feed the homeless. 

Chabrow said individuals from Inspirada approached her about holding her event at the high school. Kunec said because of its proximity to Inspirada homes, ‚ÄúIt‚Äôs our high school!‚Äù Because the school is called Liberty, when it was suggested Chabrow use it as the location to collect and pack items for the military, her response was, ‚ÄúIt‚Äôs just natural!‚Äù 

She added when her son was stationed at a remote outpost in Kandahar in 2011, the men were only guaranteed one meal a day. She got in the habit of sending him care packages, which he shared with others in his unit. After his death, she decided to start the foundation in his name, and begin sending packages to units overseas.

All of the items and labor are donated to the non-profit foundation, and her group is always in need of financial donations in order to purchase postage. In a hand-out explaining her mission she wrote; ‚ÄúThe foundation is dedicated to providing comfort and support to service members and their families through sending thoughtful and useful care packages during their deployment. Until every one of them is back home and safe, we will continue to be here, supporting our men and women so that they will NEVER be forgotten.‚Äù 

To donate, or for more information, the foundation’s phone is (702) 845-9171. Or email, suni@DJGMF.org.