The American Military Encouragement Network began as an outreach of Damascus Community Church of Damascus, Oregon in the Summer of 2005.
We sent Oregon soldiers serving in Iraq care packages filled with beef jerky, Kool-Aid, toiletries, books, and other personal items. We personalized requests to soldiers, sailors and marines from their family members. We helped with items needed to bring orphanages on line in Iraq. We delivered hundreds of pairs of shoes to a newly built orphanage for boys, constructed by the Oregon National Guard. As the soldiers returned home we continued to assist with food, financial, aid and in fact in whatever way help was needed as much as we were able.
The jobs market was very bad and the greatest need became food for military families as well as older veterans long removed from active service. Today that remains the greatest need and our major area of service. We have a wonderful relationship with the Portland Police Sunshine Division and are able to receive from them, at no cost, much needed food products. We also purchase from local distributors, jobbers and wholesalers.
