Express delivery and logistics company DHL, Pizzas 4 Patriots, and America’s Dairy Farmers are partnering to dish up 10,000 Gino’s East deep dish pizzas and Honey Milk to US servicemen and women stationed throughout Iraq in time for the upcoming Super Bowl events.
DHL Express has offered to donate all of its transportation services in support of the initiative.
Enough Chicago-style deep dish pizza and stuffed pizza to feed 30,000 servicemen and women, provided at-cost by The Original Gino’s East of Chicago and Edwardo’s Natural Pizza, along with 7,000 bottles of high protein honey milk and 500 footballs from America’s Dairy Farmers, are leaving Chicago IL on January 29, headed for several bases throughout Iraq in time for Super Bowl events February 7.
“As a retired member of the military, I appreciate the support of my local community and patriots across the country who have donated to this cause and help us bring reminders of home to our US troops stationed thousands of miles away,” said Retired Master Sgt Mark Evans. “The reactions that we continue to get for this effort from families, friends of the military, and the troops themselves are always heartfelt and encouraging.”
Besides the global delivery, Evans will be distributing pizzas from local vendors to Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington DC, Audie Murphy Veterans Memorial Hospital, as well as other VA hospitals around the nation.
The mission to show appreciation and bring reminders of home to the men and women in uniform overseas was conceived by Evans of Elk Grove Village IL. He was inspired by his 15-year-old son Kent, who questioned if there was a way to deliver freshly frozen Chicago-style pizzas to servicemen and women. The initial effort in 2008 required 2,000 pizzas and was well-received. With the support of DHL Express in July 2009, Evans coordinated the delivery of a record-breaking 28,000 pizzas to US servicemen and women serving in the Middle East for Independence Day celebrations.
The pizzas, packaged in temperature-controlled containers, along with Honey Milk and footballs, will be picked up at The Original Gino’s East of Chicago and loaded onto DHL Express trucks January 29. From Chicago O’Hare International Airport, the care package will transit DHL’s principal air hub in Cincinnati OH for a direct flight to its hub in Leipzig, Germany, and then onward to the hub in Bahrain. From there, shipments will be re-iced and separated for transportation to several military bases in Iraq, in time for Super Bowl events.
Visit www.pizzas4patriots.com to make donations.
