A new mission for nonprofit Jacob's Light

The changing military combat situation overseas has a Long Island-based nonprofit reassessing its marching orders in Ronkonkoma.

Jacob's Light Foundation, whose mission is to send support, comfort and necessities to deployed troops -- particularly those who lack family support or access to amenities -- is on the move.

In January, the foundation -- founded in 2003 by a Middle Island mother who lost her son in Iraq -- relocated to a 6,300-square-foot building in Ronkonkoma, which was donated by Staller Associates Inc., a Hauppauge-based managing agent for commercial property owners. The first packing in its new space will be on March 27.

Earlier, all 9,000 pounds of monthly goods were kept in a Deer Park storage space that was less than half the size of the new space before transport to the American Legion in Brentwood, where the care packages were assembled.

"I absolutely love the new space and am so grateful for it," said the group's founder, Dorine Kenney. "We're at a huge advantage to now be able to store and pack at the same place. And if funding permits, we should be able to send more stuff, because we have more storage space now."

Since 2003, Jacob's Light, with the help of donations, has shipped 500,000 pounds of food, batteries, soap, shampoo, razors, socks, antifungal creams, reading and writing materials and troops' special requests. Every 13-square-inch box sent also contains a monthly newsletter, "letting troops know what's going on in America," said Kenney. She and hundreds of volunteers pack nearly 300 boxes on the last Tuesday of every month. About 2,800 troops a month receive the packages.

Opening door to kids

For safety reasons, Kenney requires all volunteers to be at least 17 years old, but by summer or early fall, she's hoping to open the foundation's doors to children, from Scout troops to the children of volunteers, perhaps every three months or so.

"Jacob loved children, and they gravitated toward him," said Kenney. "They have been involved with Jacob's Light, particularly by writing letters that we include in packages, and we've had responses of how much these letters mean to troops. Many troops have kids themselves, so it's particularly touching."

Kenney, 56, founded Jacob's Light just weeks after the death of her only child, Army Spc. Jacob Fletcher. He was killed by a roadside bomb in Iraq on Nov. 13, 2003, at age 28.

Kenney, who has spoken about the importance of supporting the troops to students at the elementary school in Babylon that her son attended, as well as to 3,000 high schoolers in Utah, envisions smaller-scale packing by young helpers, plus having Iraq veterans speak to the children about how important it is for citizens to support the troops, and to educate them on flag folding, because each fold has a meaning, Kenney added.

While she is brainstorming new program ideas, Kenney said, she is also considering the direction Jacob's Light will take in the future, given that the U.S. combat mission in Iraq ended in December and the Pentagon has announced combat operations in Afghanistan will end next year. She said she prays "we don't have to send these supplies to any more countries, and that our troops aren't stretched any thinner than they are now," and so the foundation will focus on setting up programs to help homecoming troops.

Kenney, a holistic teacher and practitioner for the past 23 years, says she hopes to marry her training to helping returning veterans. She has traveled to India, Israel, Sweden and Switzerland to teach and treat through holistic medicine.

'Kept me moving forward'

"Man is not wired for war," explained Kenney. "From what I can see, the troops are highly trained before they're deployed, but not trained on how to get out of that once they come home. It seems to me that their nervous system is still working in a hypervigilant state. Emotionally and mentally, war affects them. They live with anxiety, depression and guilt. But holistic medicine, the healing of the mind, body and spirit, can help on all levels."

Jacob's Light is what she credits for her own healing.

"It was the foundation that kept me moving forward," she said. "I didn't know it would be what it is today, but I worked until I couldn't keep my eyes open. The foundation has given me a purpose to continue living after losing Jacob."

Kenney, who tearfully remembers and misses everything about her son -- from his sense of humor to the way he raised an eyebrow -- recalls Jacob's caring nature when reminiscing about their last Thanksgiving together.

"Jacob called me one day and said, 'Mom, how about the two of us have Thanksgiving alone this year, at my apartment?' And I said, 'Sure, I'd love that.' By the next day, I get a phone call that so-and-so is going to be alone, if they can come. Then another call, and another. By the end, there were 10 people at Thanksgiving dinner because he didn't want anyone to be alone."

Kenney said Jacob tried to join the Army when he was 8 years old. "He filled out an application from an Army magazine, sent it in and a recruiter called on two occasions to speak with 'Private' Jacob Fletcher. I said, 'Call back in 10 years.' "

After 9/11, Fletcher, who was by then old enough for military service, joined the Army.

"It was through Jacob's compassion for his fellow troops that inspired this foundation," Kenney said. "This is his memory, his legacy. I will always, always long for my son, but with Jacob's Light I'm lucky that I get to say his name every day of my life."