It all started with a rescue cat named Sargeant.
Ashley Nevison grew up in an Arizona home that valued helping others, volunteering when possible and rescuing cats and dogs from the shelter.
At 8 years old, her best friend, a cat named Sargeant, was diagnosed with cancer, and as she watched him slowly deteriorate and eventually say goodbye, it broke her heart.
However, it also launched the trajectory of Nevison’s life aimed at giving back and helping others wherever possible.
“I wanted to keep his memory alive,” Nevison said. “I started making cat toys and blankets and donating them to the shelters. Fast forward to 2020, I was stuck at home and bored. I saw a post about essential workers in need of face masks, and my mom and I started making them. The cat toys kind of transitioned into making masks and sending them out to hospitals and first responders all across the country.”
It was the first time Nevison saw how networking and connecting with others could make one small task result in a huge impact.
Nevison’s friend contacted her with a need for masks at a local homeless outreach program, which brought her to the location the following week. Standing there, passing out masks, Nevison noticed something else.
“The hygiene table was empty. There were tubs there for soap, shampoo, toothpaste, etc. I decided I wanted to do absolutely anything to help,” Nevison said. “My mom found a grant application online, and I received $250 to start what Sargeant’s Army is today. I began creating hygiene Hope Bags, and within a few weeks, I was regularly donating them to the homeless outreach program.”
She’ll never forget the first time she received feedback on the Hope Bags.
“A man came up to me with tears in his eyes and said, ‘You don’t understand how much this means,’ and I just thought, you never know what someone is experiencing versus what we see,” Nevison said.
As the program grew and Nevison began partnering with the United Way and getting her Hope Bags to police officers and other first responders, her father’s job prompted a move to Kentucky. It was her freshman year of high school. However, Nevison continued to push with new goals and ideas.
“I decided I wanted to get these Hope Bags into every single county (120 in all) in Kentucky. It took me 16 months and it was a crazy goal to have, but I launched the KY Hope Tour and donated the Hope Bags,” Nevison said. “I was able to see the entire state and in the meantime, we sought out little free libraries and animal blessing boxes and stopped to fill those as we were delivering the Hope Bags.”
Shortly after moving to Kentucky, Nevison learned of a Giving Tuesday youth program called Spark.
It’s youth engagement, founded by young people, led by young people and powered by their ideas, passion and action, ranging from hands-on service to creative campaigns.
It spoke to Nevison on several levels.
“When I was really little, my ballet teacher gave me my first opportunity to give back by helping her teach the younger dance class. I don’t know how much help I really was at that age, but she gave me something I didn’t even realize at the time,” Nevison said. “From there, I started looking into what I could do in the volunteer/service world and over and over, I’d stop in or call an organization and ask, ‘How can I help?’ and many turned me away. One person said, ‘You’re too young to do anything.’ That line has stuck with me ever since.”
She was only 8 at the time, but when given the chance as a high school student, Nevison wanted to give youth the opportunity to follow their passion if they wanted to help.
Through the Spark program, Nevison asked youth to donate at least one piece of outerwear — hats, gloves, coats, etc. — to a local shelter near them.
The Small Acts Add Up Outerwear Drive was launched, and more than 1,400 volunteers across the country have helped donate more than 28,000 outerwear items to individuals in all 50 states.
“I want to find ways for kids to have these kinds of opportunities. It can be hard to work with kids if they don’t want to listen or get distracted easily, but I promise it’s worth it,” Nevison said.
Most recently, Sargeant’s Army has launched its newest initiative, No Soldier Left Behind.
“I decided I wanted to do something for our veterans. It was one of the only groups I wasn’t helping at the time, and we started reaching out and making connections with people who could use the Hope Bags and the outerwear in kits for their veterans,” Nevison said. “Last year was our first-ever gala, and we were able to raise funds for the No Soldier Left Behind program. This year, we raised triple what we did last year.”
The No Soldier Left Behind program is headquartered in Louisville, and they ship the kits to organizations across the country.
It also provides an opportunity for local residents to get involved.
On Nov. 13, the annual packing party day will bring together volunteers to put together kits at the Cambria Hotel in Louisville.
“We need as many volunteers for that event as possible because there is a lot to do. We’ll always take donations too, but volunteering is what I would say is the biggest need,” Nevison said. “The nonprofit is also run with all volunteers. We have no overhead; no facility or payroll, so every dime goes back into the community.”
Nevison said every time she hears a new story about how Sargeant’s Army has made an impact, it brings her to tears. Despite all the work she and her team are doing, it’s hard to visualize and wrap her mind around the magnitude of their mission.
“The first year of No Soldier Left Behind, I asked the organizations to send back a photo to confirm they received our kits and any words or messages they wanted to send. I think I got an email back from every single veterans’ organization we worked with. My inbox was full,” Nevison said. “In my eyes, it’s a few kits we put together. In their eyes, it’s like the best thing that’s ever happened. I might not see it all the time, but I know we’re making a difference.”
Visit sargeantsarmy.org for volunteer opportunities or current updates about the upcoming packing party.
