EDINBURGH — Since the start of “Operation Allies Welcome,” more than 7,000 Afghan evacuees arrived at Camp Atterbury in Johnson County, according to military officials.
In the weeks since officials report about 2,000 evacuees have resettled in cities and towns across the United States.
Team Rubicon shared with WRTV nearly 1.6 million donated items have come through the Edinburgh warehouse not far from the gates of the base. For more than two months, about 250 volunteers with Team Rubicon have helped accept and sort through those donations from the community.
Still, the need for community donations continues for the 5,000 or so evacuees remaining at Camp Atterbury, especially as the season changes. Men’s, women’s, and children’s shoes are needed, either new or gently used.
“Our guests, they all have footwear. No one is lacking footwear, I would say. I haven’t seen anything like that. I would say, maybe there is more appropriate footwear they could be wearing in the damp of the fall and the coming winter," Russel Hessler, Task Force Leader for Camp Atterbury with Team Rubicon said. “Just a little sturdier, a little bit beefier, it doesn’t have to be snow boots or anything, but anything that might be appropriate.”
Other than shoes, new women’s bras, fingernail clippers, bottle brushes, and new or gently used men’s and women’s pants are also high in demand.
Several Indiana National Guard armories in central Indiana are collecting drop off items from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday:
- 410 Apple Street, Greenfield, IN
- 401 North Country Club Road, Muncie, IN
- 2625 West Kessler Boulevard, Kessler-Moore Readiness Center, Indianapolis, IN
