USO Florida Enhances Outreach Support to Service Members and Their Families Living in the Jacksonville Area

USO Florida has recently enhanced and expanded its USO Outreach Programming to provide impactful programming and services to the U.S. military community stationed at Naval Station (NS) Mayport.

With roughly 8,000 service members and their families to support on NS Mayport, USO Florida had to pivot and reallocate its resources to support this military community on base.

USO Florida is providing enhanced USO Outreach Programming, including a fleet of USO Florida vehicles, USO Florida Gaming Unit and onsite events to bring the USO experience to the service members and their families where they are on base, instead of requiring them to travel off-base to visit a USO center.

“USO Florida is excited to provide Outreach support to the local Mayport community and throughout the entire state,” said Dana Cervantes, Executive Director of USO Florida. “No longer will service members and their families have to drive off base to a USO center, we will bring the USO to where they are, on base.”

USO Florida is reallocating resources from the upcoming sale of its property located a few miles from the Naval Station Mayport to focus on USO Outreach Programming, where USO Florida will bring the USO experience to service members and their families living in the local area.

The USO center on Naval Air Station Jacksonville will remain open and serve as the headquarters for all USO Outreach Programming throughout Jacksonville and the surrounding area to include Camp Blanding, Marine Corps Support Facility Blount Island, and Kings Bay Georgia.

USO Florida Jacksonville staff and volunteers have set up USO tables or tent displays, offering complimentary snacks and refreshments, as well as arts and crafts, yard games, and other fun activities to include the USO Florida Gaming Mobile, with up-to-date gaming consoles and a variety of games for service members and their families to enjoy.

This summer, USO staff and volunteers in the Jacksonville area — in partnership with local partners — collected and distributed backpacks full of school supplies to local military families stationed at NS Jacksonville and Mayport. Back to School programs and activities help military families by working with local partners to provide school supplies and special programs and events to children of service members, enabling them to put their best foot forward and get excited to go back to school.

The school supply bags were customized per grade level with essential school supply items including writing paper, folders, binders, pencils, hand sanitizer, markers, crayons and color pencils, scissors, and other essential school items.

“We look forward to continue to partner with other agencies on base and in the community to host larger events for military members and their families,” said Cervantes.

USO Florida delivers support to service members and their families stationed all throughout Florida to include Jacksonville. Through outreach programs like Random Snacks of Kindness and other outreach support, which includes the USO Florida Gaming Mobile, and holiday and special event celebrations, the USO helps ensure service members and their families living in Florida stay connected and know they are appreciated and supported.

Military units or unit Commanders stationed in Florida seeking USO Florida support, please follow this link USO Florida Support.