Ft. Bliss Launches Food And Toy Drive

EL PASO, TX –An estimated 4,000 soldiers, military families, and post employees gathered at Smith Bliss Field near the Cassidy entrance for the Team Bliss Holiday Food Drive and Run Thursday morning.

Lieutenant Colonel Elmer Speights told ABC-7 that the Army has held a food drive for at least the last 20 years and Ft. Bliss has held a combined run and donation drive for the last decade.

Officials on post encourage each command in each brigade to have participants in the 3.2 mile run. LTC Speights said they will not have as many participants due to the high number of deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan.

The nonperishable food items and new and gently used toys will be given to those families living on post who are in need of help during the holidays.

“Everybody’s not on equal ground,” LTC Speights said.

“We have 1,300 turkeys and dry goods, and whoever has a ticket voucher can receive them through their commands.”

Both the food and toy drive are running until Christmas.

You can take your donations to any drop-off box at the unit headquarters on post.

Written for kvia.com by Anchor/Reporter Stephanie Valle