Amber Mobely-Pezanetti - Sending Love and Support to Our Troops

I'm back - it's been a hectic few weeks, and I feel like I already need a do-over for April!  Anyone else feel that way?!  But a woman who seems to have unending energy and resourcefulness is Amber Mobley-Pezanetti, the young woman who works tirelessly to make strangers smile. 

Amber is the driving force behind Treats4Troops (check out her Facebook Fan Page & Auction Page, Website and Blog), an organization that relies on donations - as well as a lot of her own funds - to send cards and care packages to deployed troops, who often do not have anyone at home sending them items.  I know from my brother’s deployment how much he loved getting any mail, especially when it was an unexpected box filled with goodies!   

Amber describes herself as a 24 years young Army Wife.  She’s been married to her Soldier, Anthony, for a little over a year.   As she says, “We have no children at the moment but currently TTC.  I have a 5 year old pit/pit terrier mix who is my world and my baby.  I met my Anthony online via a chat room and wouldn’t change anything for the world!”  Anthony is currently in the Army Reserves, in the process of going Active Duty.  They reside in sunny, central Florida.  

 Amber Mobley-Pezanetti

When/how did you come up with the idea for Treats 4 Troops?  And how did you start doing the Facebook Auctions?

Treats 4 Troops came about while my husband was away in New Mexico on Military Business; I had a lot of time on my hands and figured what better way to put it to use then to help the Troops who were deployed!   My first two packages went to 2 Soldiers in Afghanistan; I am friends with both their wives and one of the wives I went to school with.  I did Halloween boxes with homemade cookies and tons of goodies from candy to personal care items just little pieces of home.

I have received items from people to add to the packages and this past Christmas 2010 I sent out over 50 Christmas cards to the Troops .It’s an AMAZING feeling when you mail them out but an even better feeling when you get an email or a letter back thanking you when you don’t even expect it.

I started doing auctions to raise money for the care packages as it does get costly for me to pay for it all out of pocket.   I also wanted to be able to promote Treats 4 Troops as well as get other Facebook businesses names out there.  I‘d noticed that a lot of people LOVE Facebook auctions and love to help out a good cause at the same time (people go gaga over the auctions because they can get quality items at a discounted price - unless someone bids really high in order to help the cause!). 

How often do you send care packages, and how do you decide who receives them?

I try to send care packages once a month and usually 5-10 go out at a time depends on the funds I have. The way I decide who receives the packages is by people who send in addresses of those in need! I don’t cater to just one branch I do them all from the Army to the Marines and all branches in between.

One of the Valentine’s packages

I know you don’t do this for the thank you’s, but I’m curious if you get much feedback from the troops?

I really haven’t gotten a lot of feedback from the Troops, though I have heard back from 2 of them personally.  One wrote a short and simple letter thanking me for his Christmas Card and Christmas Package. I received an email from another thanking me for his Christmas Card as well.  In one of the other units I sent packages out to, the one who received them and distributed the items throughout his unit (Robert) contacted his aunt to let me know that they received the packages, and that it really helped pick his unit up big time!  I also learned that Robert kept nothing for himself.

Just a few of the packages overflowing with Treats 4 our Troops

If you want to donate to Amber’s next auction (she's taking donations NOW for the April/May auction), please contact her through her Facebook Auction Page! 

And if you just like to shop – I’ll be donating 10% of my sales for the month of April to Treats4Troops.   In addition to my Etsy shop, I’ll be running a couple of “flash sales” through Facebook in April.  Plus, check out my project albums on facebook – I have a lot of custom order pix there, and I can always work with you on your own custom piece!