HILL AIR FORCE BASE, Utah -- Everybody needs help from time to time – and at the Airman’s Attic, Airmen can receive that support when they need a helping hand.
The mission at Airman's Attic is to provide free and mutually beneficial clothing, uniform and small house goods service to the Hill AFB community. They also have two separate food pantries.
According to Sharaya Woodwick, Airman’s Attic manager, one is the walk-in pantry that has a limit of one bag per family, per visit and the second is their referral pantry, which requires a referral from a member’s first sergeant or the Military and Family Readiness Center.
The Airman's Attic helps alleviate financial burdens, supports success, boosts confidence and security, and strengthens community bonds. Such a resource is important on base as it ensures the well-being and readiness of military members and their families.
“Having a 100% free resource for our military members and their dependents can be essential to their success,” said Woodwick. “I know and can speak from experience … when we were an E-3 single-income family with a baby on the way and thousands of miles from home, the Airman’s Attic helped provide baby clothes, furniture, and food. It helped me feel confident in my ability to help provide for our family.”
Woodwick said they regularly update their Facebook page @HillAirmansAttic on what items are available, as it changes frequently. They also update the kinds of donations that are needed and not needed. Currently, they do not take mattresses, bed frames, cribs, baby swings and walkers, and used undergarments.
“We always need non-perishable foods, uniforms, small appliances, vacuums, furniture items, and toys,” she said. “In addition, we can always use things to help behind the scenes such as shopping bags, trash bags, duct tape, masking tape, zip-ties, sharpies, totes, and bottles of water and snacks for our volunteers who are always appreciated.”
The Airman’s Attic staff ask that donations not be left on their dock when they are closed, but people can contact them via private message on their Facebook page if they must arrange a time after hours.
Besides serving Hill’s Airmen, the Airman’s Attic also serves the communities outside the base, especially when they have an overabundance of donations. They donate clothes and food to homeless shelters and animal shelters, and uniform items to JROTC and Civil Air Patrol.
“Know that your donations don’t just affect Airmen, they have a much further reach and impact,” said Woodwick. “We are here to help, and we truly love getting to serve our military and surrounding communities.”
The Airman’s Attic is staffed by volunteers and, because of that, sometimes their hours are subject to last minute changes, which will be posted on the Airman’s Attic Facebook page.
The Airman’s Attic summer hours are Tuesdays and Thursdays 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and Wednesdays 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. In the fall, it will resume Saturday hours.
It is located in the Military and Family Readiness Center at building 150 and open to all military members, retirees and dependents with a valid military ID.