How you can serve those who serve America!
Camp Pendleton ASYMCA Ball Gown Giveaway
The Annual Ball Gown Giveaway is held every September in conjunction with the Navy and Marine Corps Birthday Balls, and we offer a FREE event where active duty personnel and their family members can make 1-2 selections from thousands of formal dresses, shoes, and accessories. It is a first come / first serve event, and many participants have arrived as early as the night before to ensure they were first to be served!
The gowns we offer come from a collaboration of support: other non- profit organizations and hard working community members. ASYMCA is working to expand the formal selections to include men's suits since not every spouse is female!
If you have gently used / new gowns or suits, accessories and / or shoes, please consider donating them to our agency for a Service Member or military spouse to enjoy. These donations can also be deemed as "in kind gifts" for tax purposes!
Camp Pendleton ASYMCA Bicycle Giveaway
Like the Ball Gown Giveaway, the Bicycle Giveaway is a first come, first serve FREE event held in early December, just in time for Christmas! A range of bicycles are offered and it is not limited to military families' participation - single Service Members are also welcomed to participate.
This event was created in June 2005 when a generous community member stepped forward and purchased 200 bicycles to be given to Service Members or their families. This event was so popular we offered it again in December 2005 and committed to maintain the service annually.
Community members can donate funds designated to support this event - we would take your donation, dollar for dollar, and turn it into a brand new bicycle to be given out at this event.
Home Hospitality - Adopt a Marine for Thanksgiving
One of our most popular programs with community members is our Home Hospitality event where they can host two Marines for Thanksgiving dinner. In collaboration with the School of Infantry Command which is located in the San Onofre area of Camp Pendleton, School of Infantry Marine students are allowed approximately eight hours of liberty to enjoy the holiday, and unless the Marine's family is within a 90 mile radius of the School of Infantry, their training schedule does not allot enough travel time to be with family.
The Marine students must travel in pairs, and since they are also new to the Marine Corps having just graduated from boot camp, they are not allowed to drive which means participating community members not only feed these young men (only male Marines attend this particular school), but they must also pick-up them up and bring them back at designated times.
If you are interested in hosting two Marines for Thanksgiving dinner, please contact our office. We are blessed to say there are generally more community members to host than there are Marines to place so please don't wait to call our office the week of Thanksgiving...all the Marine students will most likely be placed by then!
KABC Radio ASYMCA Recreation Center at the School of Infantry
The School of Infantry training command is in a remote area of Camp Pendleton, and the ASYMCA Recreation Center offers the most current gaming electronics, recreational tables, and large screen television viewing with theatre-type seating. For those seeking a more quiet experience, the Recreation Center does have a reading / relaxation room.
There are approximately 8,000 - 9,000 visits each year by Marine students, and this facility is also free of charge.
Partner Member Campaign
The Camp Pendleton ASYMCA Board of Management sets an annual fundraising goal to seek out funding for our program and services since we do not have a revenue source other than our annual fundraisers. It is also very important to cultivate relationships with community members, businesses, and organizations to ensure ASYMCA programs and services continue.
The priceless return on one's investment into the Partner Member Campaign is knowing his or her contribution enhances the quality of life for southern California's Service Members, and their families. Those community members, businesses, and organizations funding this program share our vision, and we are extremely grateful
Secret SANTA (Support And Nurture Those Americans who serve)
Our Christmas program was created to facilitate community members' appreciation of service while also providing assistance to the most junior Service Members who are E-5 and below with children.
The Service Member or spouse completes a wish list form which is then filtered by our agency to provide the community member, organization, or business the family's basic information, e.g., rank of Service Member, unit, first names, each child's age and clothing size, etc. The community member shops, wraps, and personalizes the gifts for their particular family, and then brings the gifts to our administrative office for dispersal on designated days just prior to Christmas.
If you are interested in sponsoring a military family for Christmas, it is as easy as making a call to our office. Many community members, organizations, and businesses have shared it has been one of the more positive and rewarding programs they have experienced.
School of Infantry ASYMCA Concrete Beach
The School of Infantry Command (SOI) is the next stop for all newly graduated Marines coming from the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego. SOI's task is to make "every Marine a rifleman," and during the sometimes arduous training, ASYMCA hosts Concrete Beach where Marines can relax, enjoy music and expertly grilled hotdogs (or at least our volunteers believe so!)
There are generally two Concrete Beaches scheduled per month where approximately 200 - 300 Marine students are served. Since the event is completely FREE of charge, it takes both funding and major volunteer support to put forth this effort.
School of Infantry Superbowl Event
With the valuable assistance from the School of Infantry (SOI) Command, ASYMCA coordinates, plans and funds an annual Super Bowl event so Marine students can participate in America's unofficial holiday.
In addition to watching the game, they are provided hamburgers, hotdogs, potato chips, soda, and homemade cookies and brownies. SOI Marines also enjoy free giveaways such as IPOD's, digital cameras, portable CD, DVD, and MP3 players, and the ever popular Game Boys--items which could easily be stowed and carried in sea bags.
If the community did not step forward to assist in funding this event, ASYMCA could not accomplish such an undertaking.
For an understanding of the other ways we serve the military community, please select the programs / services page.
Phone: 760-385-4921
Fax: 760-385-0785
Box 555028 Bldg 16144, Camp Pendleton, CA 92055-5028