AT&T awards $30,000 grant to USO South Carolina

AT&T recently granted $30,000 to the USO South Carolina to support the USO’s Operation Read and Feed program.

“The USO connects service members to family, home and country,” said Joanie Thresher, Director of USO South Carolina. “Thanks to the generosity of AT&T, deploying service members will enjoy the opportunity to record themselves reading a storybook to their own child, who will soon be thousands of miles away.”

Operation Read and Feed is a two-part program that serves thousands of service members each year through Camp McCrady Training Center. The first part of the program is the United through Reading program, which offers deploying service members the opportunity to record themselves themselves reading their child’s favorite story and have that recording shipped home. The second part of Operation Read and Feed is a BBQ lunch served to deploying service members, in an effort to show their community supports them and to provide the service members with an opportunity to build camaraderie with those with whom they will soon deploy.

“As Americans, we all should remember the men and women who have served and sacrificed to protect our country and our freedoms,” said Pamela Lackey, president of AT&T South Carolina. “AT&T has a long history of supporting active duty military personnel, veterans, and their families. This contribution is one way we can express our thanks and respect to all those who have worn our country’s uniform and to their families.”

About Philanthropy & Social Innovation at AT&T

AT&T Inc. is committed to advancing education, strengthening communities and improving lives. Through its community initiatives, AT&T has a long history of investing in projects that create learning opportunities; promote academic and economic achievement; or address community needs. The company’s signature philanthropic initiative, AT&T Aspire, drives innovation in education to promote student success in school and beyond. With a financial commitment of $400 million since 2008, AT&T is leveraging technology, relationships and social innovation to help all students make their biggest dreams a reality.

About the USO South Carolina

USO South Carolina provides a home away from home and a sense of community for over 100,000 service members annually by offering a safe, comfortable, and relaxing lounge as they travel through the Columbia Metropolitan Airport. In addition to the center inside the Columbia Airport, the USO South Carolina serves the military population training at McCrady Training Center with a dayroom and USO in a Box, as well as military applicants at the Military Entrance Processing Station Fort Jackson. USO South Carolina also offers morale-boosting and family-strengthening programs, deployment and redeployment support to help servicemen and women adjust to the duty ahead, resiliency training for families facing multiple deployments, discreet and compassionate escorts and other support for Families of the Fallen. For more information on how you can join our patriotic mission, please visit southcarolina.uso.org.