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Marine Sgt. Luis Mercado Jr. is the most popular man in his platoon when a package arrives in Iraq from his mom in Orange County. Surrounded by many soldiers, he distributes supplies of socks, drinks and food. Two large boxes of potato chips "disappear in 10 seconds, as if [the soldiers] have never eaten chips before," says Mercado.

Luz Mercado sends out the care packages daily to boost the soldiers' morale. Sponsoring her son's platoon has become her mission since their deployment to Iraq. "We have a mini Sam's Club in our garage," Luis Mercado Sr. says. "All you need is a shopping cart to go down the aisles...Things we take for granted, they appreciate a great deal. At 7:30 a.m., it is already 137 degrees there, so drinks are very important."

Luz operated as a one-person charity for months; now she is affiliated with the non-profit organization Support Our Heroes. "it was getting costly, about $30 to $40, to send the packages," says Luis Sr. The couple have been overwhelmed by the public's response to recent publicity, which sparked donations from families and organizations. "One child sent a letter with a check for $5. He said it was all he could do now, but when he gets older he wants to be a Marine," says Luis Sr..

Luz says the soldiers are doing more for her than she can for them. "Whether we believe in the war or not, they're giving us their lives."

November 19, 2008
Que Pasa?: Support Our Heroes sends parcels to troops abroad

By Carmen Ramos
Times Herald-Record

NEW WINDSOR - This year Thanksgiving will be routine for many people, but for Luz Mercado the holiday will never be the same until her son, U.S. Marine Corps. Sgt. Luis A. Mercado, returns from deployment overseas.

"It's been forever," said Luz. Her son was first deployed for the war in Iraq in 2004.

That was also the year Luz started a nonprofit organization, Support Our Heroes, which she still runs out of her home in New Windsor in an effort to provide the troops overseas with some of the necessities people at home take for granted.

At first, the organization received donations that allowed Luz to send packages to Iraq daily, but over the last three years, donations dwindled and are now almost nonexistent.

The lack of support has forced Luz to do whatever she can on her own, which means buying a little extra of everything from snacks to toiletries when she does her shopping, then coming up with the money for delivery to Iraq.

When Luz recently sat down to review receipts from purchases she made with the troops in mind and the postage she paid to have the items delivered, she came up with a total of about $1,000 over the course of a few months, not including any receipts she may have lost.

"I understand the economy is bad right now, but people are still shopping. We're struggling, but we have our freedom because of (the troops)," said Luz. "If life is rough for us, how much worse can it be for them?"

It's during times like these that Luz wonders if it is worth it to continue her efforts. But then she stands firm in her commitment to her son and the troops, to follow through with the supplies until the war is over.

"How am I gonna stop? There are people in the military that don't get anything from their own families," Luz said.

Snacks, writing pads, pens, blank greeting cards, body wash, tampons, puzzle books, tuna lunch packs and powdered energy drinks are some of the items Luz looks forward to shipping to Iraq during the holiday season.

On Thanksgiving, many people will have the usual things to be thankful for. Luz will be grateful that her son is alive. She will be grateful for the support of her family and friends. She will be grateful for her freedom.