Earlier this month, the Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, community came together for Stronghold Food Pantry’s inaugural Christmas Ruck March. Braving freezing 20-degree temperatures, soldiers, military families, firefighters, students, and volunteers marched with backpacks and sacks filled with new, unopened toys for Stronghold’s Christmas Depot.
Santa led the charge from the Frontier Conference Center to the Stronghold Food Pantry, an 11-minute march. Participants of all ages joined in the festive event, and many wore holiday-themed attire. Decorated rucks with garlands and lights added to the cheerful atmosphere.
Once at the pantry, participants unloaded their toy donations and were greeted with coffee and pastries donated by the local Starbucks in Leavenworth.
More than a toy drive
The Christmas Ruck March serves as the kickoff to the Christmas Depot, an initiative that transforms Stronghold into a magical Santa’s workshop. This unique program allows military families enrolled in the Angel Tree program to shop for their children’s gifts in a dignified and festive setting.
The Christmas Depot offered families a personalized shopping experience during the holiday season. Registered families were able to select high-quality items from curated lists of toys, clothing, and other gifts. Parents can either wrap the gifts onsite with volunteer assistance or take wrapping supplies home.
“We want children to get gifts from their parents, not us,” said Monica Bassett, Stronghold’s founder and CEO. Families are given private shopping slots to ensure anonymity, avoiding any concerns about encountering friends, colleagues or superiors.
Families submitted lists of their children’s wants and needs ahead of the event, and Stronghold had all of the requests fulfilled by the time the Depot opened mid-December. This allowed families to pick up pre-selected items without the need to shop. The Depot also included a “Little Elf Shop” where children selected gifts for their parents, fostering the spirit of giving among even the youngest participants.
One in four active-duty military families faces food insecurity, and the financial strain often extends to holiday traditions like gift-giving. The Christmas Depot was created to bridge the gap by bringing dignity, joy and support to military families during the holiday season.
Community collaboration
The Ruck March showcased the power of community support. Participants included the Leavenworth Fire Department, SAMS students and staff, Army University staff, Leavenworth High School JROTC cadets, and members of S.L.A.M. (Sweat Like a Mother) Leavenworth. Volunteers later sorted and organized the toy donations to prepare for the Depot’s opening.
“Everything we do is about quality and integrity. That’s the Stronghold way,” Bassett said.
The Christmas Ruck March wasn’t just a march — it was a movement of compassion to unite the community in support of military families during the holidays.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Tamika Sherman is an Army spouse and writer, and volunteers her time as Stronghold Food Pantry‘s content creator.
