DAPHNE, Ala. — The 1165th Military Police Company of the Alabama National Guard was deployed to Afghanistan for its second tour of duty in less than five years in January. The 170-member unit left behind 170 families who had to adapt to an altered income and learn to get along without the soldiers’ financial and emotional support.

Citizens for Local Troop Support members have been raising money for families the troops left behind since the unit’s first deployment. Compensation provided by the National Guard helped supplement the families’ incomes, but now many families affected by the economic recession have the National Guard’s supplemental pay as their sole income. In some instances, soldiers may earn less while deployed than they made at their full-time jobs.

Rose Hall, member of the support group, said they would continue raising funds to keep these families stable until all the soldiers can come home. The unit is currently on the ground in Afghanistan and expects to remain there for a year. The committee has raised nearly $5,000 since 2008.

Pandora Hawthorne, a member of the committee, said she felt drawn to support the troops in this way.

“A lot of the people that are participating in this are either veterans or have family that serve. My family was in the military. People seem to forget when these men and women leave, they leave family behind and life has to go on for them,” Hawthorne said.

Money the support group raises will help with families’ needs including food, energy-bill assistance, home repairs and unexpected bills. The group is focusing on families because they are “who are often forgotten as most people focus on the soldiers themselves,” the organization stated in a news release.

The Eastern Shore Chamber of Commerce is contributing to the cause by collecting donations at both its locations. The chamber offers a free yellow ribbon lapel pin to anyone who donates at least $5 to the cause.

Donations can be made at either chamber office at 327 Fairhope Avenue in Fairhope or 29750 Larry Dee Cawyer Drive in Daphne. 

“(The funds) will be used to help the family with their immediate needs. They may need infant supplies, they may need bills paid, they may need food,” Kathie Barton with the Eastern Shore Chamber of Commerce said.

There are other opportunities to give as well. The Citizens for Local Troop Support Committee is offering yellow pet bandanas to raise funds. The bandanas are available for a donation of $7 for a large bandana and $5 for a small bandana. The bandanas are available at the Fairhope Animal Clinic on Greeno Road and at Fairhope City Hall.

“I am sure words can’t describe how much this support means to the families,” Hawthorne said. “I am sure a lot of these families don’t have family to help them, whether it be emotional or financial support. I am sure it is very comforting to know somebody cares about them,” Hawthorne said.

Hall — who said the funds would also be used to send packages to the troops in Afghanistan — feels supporting the troops in this way is important and a way to show appreciation for all that they are doing.

“They are wonderful; they are going, leaving their homes, leaving their families, leaving a nice life to go over there and do what they think is right and what the government thinks is right. They are fighting for the freedom of other people. We need to do this. We need to help them.” Hall said.

“Personally I don’t think there is enough done. Disheartening to me because of the reason the 1165th is where they are — to give us the freedom to say, ‘No, I don’t want to donate,’” Hawthorne said.