Dunwoody Resident and NFL Legends support GA National Guard

Six years ago the unthinkable happened to Dunwoody resident Sally Mundell and her two girls Ruby and Matilda, when they had to say goodbye to their husband and father. In the days and months that followed, the community rallied around the Mundell family with cards, meals, and other acts of kindness. Inspired by the care and support provided by their community, Sally started the nonprofit The Packaged Good to provide a fun, inspirational environment where kids and community groups can come together to create personalized care packages for people in need.

Earlier this month, Sally gathered 13 NFL Legends, local volunteers, and sponsors at Kids II in Buckhead to create cards for 2,000 members of the Georgia National Guard deploying to Afghanistan and some 100 care packages for the families with a deploying spouse who have a child under the age of two.

“We are making care packages and coloring cards,” Mundell said to the volunteers and NFL players at the event, “but it is really love, hope, understanding and support we are providing these troops. That is what it meant to my family and we want to keep passing it forward.”

Kids II, Mundell’s employer where she runs Kids2.com, hosted the event, donated toys, and furnished a nursery—providing bassinets, high chairs, a bouncer, swing, a playard, and more—for a family who is expecting twins while the husband is on deployment.

“We are all about helping parents create more tiny wins, which we believe are the path to a bright future,” said Lynn Duncan, Vice President of Corporate Communications for Kids II, a global infant, baby, and toddler consumer product company known for its Baby Einstein™, Bright Starts™, and Ingenuity™ brands. “Showing our support for Georgia’s service men and women creates a tiny win for these families by letting them know that people care.”

The January 3rd event included volunteers from Kids II, Aprio, and Change Healthcare, along with more than a dozen NFL Football Legends, including Donnie Edward, Kris Durham, Walt Harris, Julius Williams, Drew Butler, Carlos Emmons, Anthony Smith, Steven Jackson, Ed Reynolds (Former Patriot), Takeo Spikes, Tony Richardson, Mike Rucker, and Chris Draft.

“I can’t express what getting something so simple as a card can mean to a soldier when they are so far away from their families,” said Lt. Colonel Mike Lipper of the Georgia National Guard. “It is hardest for the family that is home and the spouse who is carrying twice the burden. So, these care packages and cards mean so much.”

The NFL network was onsite covering the event for the show Gridiron Giveback airing January 30th at 10 p.m.