Bea Ellis, the founder of F.A.I.T.H. (Families and Individuals Thanking Heroes) Military Support Group, recently spoke to the Rotary Club of Livingston, giving an update on the efforts of the organization.
“We started in summer 2006 when about 15 students from here joined the military. We needed other people to talk to, laugh with, cry with, and we sent out 150 care packages. The donations continued to come in, so in 2008 we became a 501(c)3 nonprofit and sent 955 care packages. In 2019, we sent 1,795 and in 2025 we’ve sent 1,176 so far, with plans to send 350 next month for a total of 26,789,” Ellis said.
“Since our founding in June 2006, F.A.I.T.H. Military Support Group has been dedicated to encouraging and supporting our brave military personnel and their families. Every month on the second Thursday our volunteers to pack and ship care packages to troops serving across the globe. These packages go to servicemen and women with a personal connection to our community, whether they grew up here, have family here, or were referred by someone local,” Ellis said.
“To date, we’ve shipped over 26,000 care packages to our troops, representing all branches of the U.S. military. We are the only organization in the U.S. that’s still doing this monthly. We’ve only missed three months of service since we began – due to Hurricane Ike in 2008, the COVID-19 shutdown in April 2020, and severe weather in January 2025. Our commitment has never wavered,” she said.
Ellis said each package includes: handwritten letters and cards from the community; toiletries, socks, razors and hand warmers; high-protein food like peanut butter, tuna, beef jerky and Hormel meals; drink mixes, canned goods, soups and snack items; puzzle books and other morale boosters.
“Polk County is amazing and awesome and our God is good. I updated the mailing list last night and added eight names that are overseas and won’t be home for Christmas,” she said.
“We’re encouraging people to sponsor Christmas boxes for our military heroes. Finding the perfect gift for a loved one can be tough and none of us needs anything, so this is a simple way to spread holiday cheer that truly makes a different. You may sponsor a box for $50. The postage is $25.85 per box and the remainder will go toward the contents,” Ellis said.
“Each Christmas box is packed with care and includes toiletries, books, granola bars, tuna, Hormel Compleats® meals, Skippy® peanut butter, Hormel chili, fun toy items, holiday snacks, Christmas cards and homemade stockings made by the local quilt guild. Every military hero will receive at least two care packages this Christmas season,” she said, adding that packing day will be Dec. 6 and the boxes will be mailed that afternoon.
“Or, you may make a donation. Any amount is welcome and will go directly toward supporting the care packages. We spend about $10,000 a month on postage and supplies. Donations may be delivered to 305 W. Mill St., Livingston, Texas 77351.
“Every care package we send is usually shared by several people. That’s a lot of people that know that Livingston, Texas is patriotic and that we’re praying them home. We want them to know they are loved, appreciated and prayed for. It will be a true Christmas present,” Ellis said.
