article by Brittany Schimke | photos by Arianna Skoog

In the months following 9/11, the country was swept up in a wave of patriotism. America was in shock, united by a deep desire to take action and support those serving. For Hunter Jones, then an eighth-grade history teacher in Billings, that sense of duty became a lasting one. What began within the four walls of his classroom has stood the test of time and continues to make an impact today.

In the spring of 2002, Hunter asked his students if anyone had family members deployed overseas. He began collecting names and addresses, encouraging his class to write letters to soldiers serving far from home. Those letters turned into care packages, and those packages soon became a movement. Over two decades later, what began as a classroom project has evolved into Montana Soldier Support, a nonprofit organization that has shipped more than 15,000 care packages and letters to deployed Montana soldiers since its founding.

For 35 years, 29 of which were spent at Will James Middle School, Hunter taught history. What started as a teaching moment in civic responsibility became a lesson in compassion and patriotism. His students would write to soldiers, send small gifts, and even “adopt” entire teams. “You get to see a world most people never do,” says Hunter. When those soldiers returned home, many came back to Will James to meet the kids who had written to them. The school even launched a Veterans Assembly.

After retiring, Hunter wanted the effort to live beyond his classroom walls. With his wife, Diana, by his side, Montana Soldier Support became its own nonprofit, continuing the same mission to remind deployed soldiers from Montana that they are not forgotten. Rooted in patriotism and a simple desire to give back, the project has become a powerful example of how one person’s determination can have a ripple effect across an entire community.

WHAT’S INSIDE THE BOX

Each care package has a small taste of home. Jerky, trail mix, gum, fruit snacks, card decks, Sudoku puzzles, and handwritten letters fill many of the boxes. “Sometimes we even send dirt and sage from Montana,” Hunter laughed. “Just a little scent from home.”

Diana, who now helps pack every shipment, adds her own special touches, especially when she knows a box is headed to a woman serving in the military. She enjoys adding a feminine touch. Diana also likes to add homey touches to the boxes, including ornaments, special gifts, and the latest copy of Simply Local, depending on the approaching month and holiday. Together, they typically ship to 25–30 soldiers a month. Each box costs approximately $18 to mail, excluding the items inside. It’s mostly just the two of them now.

COURTESY OF HUNTER JONES

Over the years, Hunter has received hundreds of emails, notes, and flags from grateful soldiers. Two large binders now hold many of those messages. Some short thank-yous, others deeply personal. One soldier even wrote, “I received your care package and wanted to write to you. Your package was a life-changing experience...” Some soldiers have flown American flags over where they are stationed and sent them back to Hunter as a sign of thanks. “I really treasure and I am proud of that,” Hunter shares. Today, he keeps a display case filled with those flags, each one representing a connection formed through a simple act of kindness. “When you do this work, you get so connected with these soldiers,” he said. He has created countless lifelong friends.

Hunter has watched the soldiers he once wrote to come home to Montana, where they have grown their success. Just a couple of his soldiers were Aaron Flint, now the host of Montana Talks radio, and Cory Swanson, Montana Supreme Court Chief Justice.

The couple continues to fundraise to keep boxes going out, relying on donations and the generosity of local groups, such as the Breakfast Exchange Club and the Daughters of the American Revolution, who have knit hats in years past. “It’s all word of mouth,” Hunter said. “That’s how we find out who’s deployed and where to send the boxes. We depend on the community to keep us connected.”

Despite challenges and rising postage costs, as well as fluctuating supply donations, Hunter remains determined. “We’ll keep sending them,” he said.

Montana Soldier Support always needs donated items, such as jerky, nuts, powdered drink mixes, hand wipes, and letters of encouragement. Monetary donations go directly toward shipping costs, which now total hundreds of dollars each month. But what they need most is awareness. If you know a Montana soldier who’s deployed, let the Montana Soldier Support team know. “We can only help if we hear about them.”

Hunter and Diana hope to one day expand the program with a website, more volunteers, and partner organizations across other states. For now, though, they remain focused on the same simple goal that started it all, one box, one letter, one soldier at a time. When a soldier opens that package and sees a note from home, it reminds them that people here care. That’s what this is all about.

“As long as there’s a Montana soldier serving somewhere far from home, they’ll get a reminder that we’re thinking of them.”

-HUNTER JONES

To learn more or donate

Visit Montana Soldier Support on Facebook, reach Hunter Jones directly at 406-794-7615 or jonesh102@gmail.com,

or send a Venmo contribution to @montanasoldiersupport.

Originally printed in the December 2025 issue of Simply Local Magazine

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