Small Change at the Cash Register Makes a Big Change in the Lives of Service Members

The USO is a nonprofit, not a government agency, dedicated to supporting active-duty, Guard and Reserve service members and military families. As a nonprofit, we rely on the generosity of the American people to help us carry out this mission. Whether they be individual donors, local charity groups, or corporate partners, all USO supporters play a crucial role in ensuring our nation’s Armed Forces have the services and resources they need to remain strong and connected to what they love most throughout their service.

USO’s corporate partnerships help to fund major USO programs that support service members and their families — programs that keep them connected while they are stationed or deployed anywhere in the world. Many of the USO’s retail partners lead fundraising campaigns that encourage their customers to round up their total bill to the nearest dollar, with the additional amount supporting the USO. Other retail partners create opportunities for customers to contribute a specified donation amount at the register.

These campaigns make it easy for customers to donate and show that even small amounts can make a big difference — often totaling millions of dollars. Yes, believe it or not, that small change you donate as you make your purchase can actually make a huge difference in the lives of American service members, military spouses and military children.

These fundraising campaigns are also an opportunity for USO corporate partners to educate the public about the meaningful services the USO provides, which opens the door for lasting relationships between their customers and the USO.

Take a look at these opportunities to donate at a retailer near you.

Giant Food

At Giant Food’s 165 store locations in Virginia, Maryland, Delaware and the District of Columbia, customers can round up their in-store purchases to the nearest dollar, with the difference going to USO National Capital District region. Additionally, for a $5 donation, Giant customers can receive a special coupon book at the register filled with valuable coupons. 100% of the proceeds raised during Giant’s in-store campaign go to support the USO’s mission of serving those who serve and their families.

The region’s 10 USO Center locations and two Mobile USO vehicles support approximately 300,000 local service members and their families, plus another 150,000 more who travel through the region’s airports. The campaign to support this military community ends June 8, 2023.

Along with the round-up campaign, Giant is the title sponsor of the USO National Capital District region’s annual Giant National Capital Barbeque Battle, which takes place over two days on Pennsylvania Avenue in downtown Washington, D.C., and helps raise additional funds and awareness for USO National Capital District. Giant makes it easy to give with a USO donation link on the BBQ Battle website.

The two-day food and entertainment festival runs June 24-25, 2023. Giant has raised more than $7 million on behalf of the USO since 2016.

Harris Teeter 

The 2023 Harris Teeter Support Our Troops Round Up Campaign kicked off on April 5, 2023, and runs through June 13, 2023. With more than $12.5 million raised since this annual campaign began in 2012, it is the USO’s most successful point-of-sale campaign to date. Almost 3 million Harris Teeter shoppers donate to the campaign annually across nearly 260 stores.

Each year, 100% of funds donated remain in the region where they were collected to promote critical USO programs for service members who reside there. That is, when you donate through this campaign, you really are helping military families who are members of your own community. Educating the public about the USO at the community level builds strong bonds between the local civilian and military communities when shoppers know they’re making a difference close to home.

Wawa 

Through mid-July, Wawa convenience stores and gas stations will wrap each cup of coffee with the USO logo and mission as part of the Show the Troops You Care campaign. Wawa serves approximately 1 million cups of coffee daily, so that’s a million people who can learn about the powerful work of the USO each day. Customers can choose to donate their spare change or to make a donation at the register for $1, $3 or $5. Wawa has been a USO corporate partner since 2012, raising close to $10 million for our organization.

Food Lion

With the Support the Troops round-up campaign, which ran until May 20, 2023, Food Lion customers at over 50 Virginia locations were able to round up their total bill to the nearest whole dollar at the checkout, with the extra money going to support USO Hampton Roads and Central Virginia. It was a meaningful way for customers to support military families in their own community.

Flowers Foods

Well-known for its Wonder Bread and Tastykakes products, Flowers Foods has pledged to donate up to $2,700,000 to the USO through 2024 with its Deploy the Joy campaign. Corporate donations like these allow the USO to carry out major programs for service members and their families, both at home and abroad. Flowers Foods encourages its customers to join the company in support of the USO while boosting awareness of the USO by placing the USO logo on Wonder Bread and Tastykakes packaging and featuring the USO on retail displays nationwide.

Flowers Foods is also directing attention to the USO with a Gather Your Troops vacation giveaway for a 5-day/4-night trip for a military family of four to their choice of Hawaii, San Diego or Washington, D.C. The contest’s website encourages visitors to make a gift with a link to a USO donation page. Wonder Bread and Tastykakes will accept entries to the giveaway until September 9, 2023, by visiting www.deploythejoy.com.

Tito’s Handmade Vodka

This Austin-based distiller of craft vodka selected the USO for its 2023 You Choose, Tito’s Gives campaign. Through this campaign, Tito’s invites consumers to vote from among five nonprofits to receive a percentage of their $300,000 pledge. Every nonprofit is guaranteed $20,000 plus a percentage based on the number of votes it receives. Voting runs through July 15, 2023, with every vote earning entrants a chance to win Tito’s-themed prizes. Donations do not require a purchase to be made. Learn more about the campaign and vote for the USO.

Tito’s Handmade Vodka continues its USO support through 2023 by featuring the USO on its Love, Tito’s online store and its physical store in Austin, Texas, by donating 100% of net proceeds from the purchase of Tito’s-branded merchandise when customers select the USO as its charity of choice. Alcohol purchases are not eligible.

Whether you support service members and military families in big ways or small, any action and any donation makes a difference in their lives. As they sacrifice their safety, time with loved ones and even their lives to serve our country, every little bit you give back through the USO and our corporate partners can help support our troops through their time in service.