Photo By Petty Officer 1st Class Donavan K Patubo | Matteo Barrella, a volunteer with Asso.Gio.Ca., the Youth Catholic Association of...... read more read more
The Navy Marine Corps Relief Society (NMCRS) Thrift Shop onboard Naval Support Activity (NSA) Naples made a sizable donation to a local Italian organization, Oct. 29.
All items donated from the Thrift Shop went to Asso.Gio.Ca., the Youth Catholic Association, an organization that assists about 600 families in downtown Naples who are in need. The charitable act shows the American community here in Naples values their relationship with their host nation and seeks to improve that relationship, as well as the quality of life for citizens of Italy.
“I believe that by donating items to organizations like Asso.Gio.Ca, it will strengthen the bonds that we have within our host nation and our local community,” said Nicole Breed, the Naples NMCRS director. “It communicates to our local community that we feel part of it and want to aid and assist when and where we can. It shows a level of care and involvement for those that are in need within our local community that may not show otherwise.”
The storage area in the Thrift Shop was packed nearly to the ceiling when volunteers from the Thrift Shop and Asso.Gio.Ca. began moving numerous bags of clothing and shoes into a van. As the van was filled, Breed and the Asso.Gio.Ca. volunteers discussed more donations in the coming weeks because a large amount of donation items remained in the storage area.
“This type of support will help us a lot,” said Asso.Gio.Ca. President Gianfranco Wurzubrger. “For months we have had families asking us for clothes. Thanks to this huge donation, we can finally satisfy them.”
The NMCRS is well known throughout the Department of the Navy for the assistance and support it provides to active-duty and retired Sailors and Marines, their eligible family members, and survivors. In Naples, the most-used services are temporary lodging allowance assistance, household good set up assistance, and emergency travel assistance, but the NMCRS also offers interest-free loans for those that need financial aid, a uniform locker with free, gently-used uniforms for active-duty members, and the Thrift Shop, a volunteer organization with more than 20 volunteers.
Breed noted that without the donations of the NSA Naples community and families, this type of support for the host nation community would not be possible. Since so many donations are made to the Thrift Shop, there are more than enough items to donate a portion to a charity or nonprofit organization that serves the local community.
“In the states, often these items are donated to charities such as The Salvation Army, Goodwill, and local missions or homeless shelters,” said Breed. “To honor our policy, aid our host nation and build better relationships with our local community, we do the same overseas.”
This is not the first time Asso.Gio.Ca. has felt the generosity of their American counterpart. Other support has come in the form of food donations and a site beautification community relations event held at one of their locations.
“When we were first contacted a year ago, we couldn’t believe our ears,” said Wruzburger. “A supportive military ready to help us regenerate one of our important places when we didn’t have anyone to help us take care of our garden. We are extremely grateful to know we have American brothers and sisters who never forget us, and we thank the American community for the immense affection and esteem they have shown us.”
NSA Naples is an operational ashore base that enables U.S., allied, and partner nation forces to be where they are needed, when they are needed to ensure security and stability in Europe, Africa, and Southwest Asia.
For more news about NSA Naples and the Sailors who serve aboard the installation, please follow us on Instagram @NSANaples and Facebook at facebook.com/NSANaples.
| Date Taken: | 10.29.2020 |
| Date Posted: | 11.02.2020 07:09 |
| Story ID: | 382180 |
| Location: | NAPLES, IT |
| Web Views: | 317 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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