Team Rubicon: The power of community

Inspiring thousands of fellow veterans

Fort McCoy, Wisconsin. Team Rubicon comprised of nearly 150,000 military veterans in 2021. In eight locations across the US, Team Rubicon is supporting the resettlement effort at all phases of the process.

Team Rubicon has coordinated, collected, organized, and helped distribute over 1.9 million items to Afghan families at six bases. They are actively sorting another 2 million items as we continue to get donations from the community and corporate partners.

Jake Wood the co-founder and CEO of Team Rubicon graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2005 and was an offensive lineman for the Badgers.

After graduation, Wood did two tours as a Marine scout sniper in Iraq and Afghanistan, but in 2010 he found his passion when volunteering in Haiti.

He created the nonprofit organization Team Rubicon for veterans who want to continue their service and use their special skills in disaster zones.

Crossing over the Artibonite River, the natural border between the Dominican Republic and Haiti, the small team of eight volunteers called themselves “Team Rubicon” in reference to the Rubicon River in Rome. By crossing their Rubicon, the team acknowledged they were committed to their task of helping those in need.

“Stepping up when things get chaotic is really what our volunteers are signing up to do, so we see it dozens of times a year,” said Wood.

Jason Crowe spent eight years in the U.S. Air Force working as a crew chief hauling cargo in the Middle East. He’s volunteered to serve with Team Rubicon at disasters around the world.

“I’ve never done a mission quite like this one,” Crowe said. “The community has come together to literally deliver tons of donations.”

There have been so many donations that Team Rubicon is storing them inside the National Guard Armory building in Sparta, Wisconsin. “You really do see the excitement on their faces, especially the children when they hold little outfits up and smile. It’s been a very rewarding experience.”

“In Team Rubicon, it doesn’t matter who you are or where you’re from or what your beliefs are,” Crowe said. “When we see people in need, we are motivated to help.”

You do not have to be a member of the military to volunteer with Team Rubicon. A large percentage of the volunteers are civilians who have never served.

Sources: