Operation Gratitude seeks to lift morale and put smiles on faces by sending care packages addressed to individual Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines deployed in harm's way.** Operation Gratitude care packages contain food, hygiene products, entertainment items and personal letters of appreciation, all wrapped with good wishes of love and support.
Through Collection Drives, Letter Writing Campaigns and Donations of funds for shipping expenses, Operation Gratitude provides civilians anywhere in America a way to express their respect and appreciation to the men and women of the U.S. Military in an active, hands-on manner.
Operation Gratitude is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, volunteer-based corporation, funded entirely by private donations. For safety and security, the assembling of all packages occurs at the Army National Guard Armory in Van Nuys, California.
** Care Package for Wounded Program : We work with representatives at Military hospitals (Landstuhl, Walter Reed and Bethesda) to provide care packages to Wounded Warriors/Veterans undergoing long-term rehabilitation. Recognizing that Warriors when first injured are most concerned with the well-being of their comrades still on the frontlines, we also offer a service whereby we send care packages to the wounded's buddies. Not only does this let the troops know their wounded comrade is thinking about them, but most importantly, it helps the wounded feel they are still contributing to the mission and have not abandoned their comrades.
Operation Gratitude is a California corporation, granted 501(c)(3) exempt status by the IRS, and recognized as a charitable organization by the California Franchise Tax Board.
Donated funds are used to pay for production, shipping and communication expenses. We do not pay for fundraising campaigns or events.
Operation Gratitude's administrative expenses are so low (less than 1.4%), and our management so efficient that Charity Navigator would not compare us to other organizations of similar size .
This is a tribute to the patriotic spirit of the many key volunteers who devote themselves to the organization without pay in order to express appreciation to the Military. Our Directors, President, Executive Director and key personnel have agreed to forego any payment to ensure the fulfillment of our donors' charitable intent that all service members receive care packages.
Operation Gratitude is proud to partner with "The Mission Continues" Fellows Program to welcome post-9-11 wounded and disabled Veterans as Volunteers in leadership roles at Operation Gratitude. We provide the Veterans an excellent opportunity to reenter the civilian environment within the comfort zone of a Military facility, surrounded by exceptionally supportive and respectful volunteers and co-workers.
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Operation Gratitude web site:
http://www.opgratitude.com/
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EDITOR'S NOTE: This is also from MJ Goyings: Here's another program I thought was really neat...
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A Sweet Way to Make Everyone Smile: The Halloween Candy Buy-Back Program!
Every kid loves Halloween! So do adults.
As responsible dentists, community members, and US citizens, Halloween Candy Buy Back dentists have found a way to keep the fun, while helping kids and our troops deployed overseas.
How does the program work?
- Participating dentists buy back kids' Halloween candy at a scheduled event
- Dentists send the candy to Operation Gratitude or other Military support groups
- Operation Gratitude sends the candy to U.S. Military deployed in harm's way
Why Join Halloween Candy Buy Back?
- You'll enjoy peace of mind knowing you're making kids, parents, and Service Members smile!
- You'll set a great example for the next generation to give back!
- You'll also enjoy some great publicity!
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About the Program
Thank you for your interest in the Halloween Candy Buy-Back program and for your thoughtfulness in providing the candy to Operation Gratitude for our Holiday Care Packages. Operation Gratitude will be sending 60,000 care packages (including our milestone 600,000th package in December) and we need tons of candy, literally, to fill them! Last year, we received and shipped 60 TONS ! We hope you will participate in this worthwhile and fun activity!
I urge you to register on this Halloween Candy Buy-Back Website: http://www.halloweencandybuyback.com so that people in your community can learn about your participation in this great program. By registering, you can receive Updates, Newsletters, Sample Press Releases and other valuable information from Dr. Chris Kammer, the architect of this great program.
To request Flyers and Posters about Operation Gratitude, please email opgrat@gmail.com . Check out our fun Halloween Candy Buy Back Video too!
I especially encourage your office and your patients to write letters/cards to the troops that we can include with your candy in the packages. We also welcome donations of dental hygiene products such as toothbrushes, toothpaste and dental floss--perhaps your suppliers/reps would be willing to participate as well!
Additional items you might consider collecting for our program:
- Beanie Babies/WebKinz or other small stuffed animals
- Hand-Knit/Crochet Scarves and Hats
- Small packages Beef Jerky
- Individual Packets of Hot Cereal
- Computer Flash Drives
- Commercially sealed Lip Balm, toothpaste, toothbrushes, dental floss, mouthwash
- Personal Letters of Appreciation
Creative Ideas:
- Partner with local businesses to provide discounts and coupons in exchange for candy
- Halloween is on a Sunday this year: Contact local sports teams (professional, schools, clubs) to set up Halloween Candy drop-off sites at their facilities that day and the following week.
- Share ideas on our Facebook page: www.facebook.com/HalloweenCandy!
SHIPPING INFORMATION:
- Feel free to use any size cartons--whatever you have on hand. The ideal size is 24" x 24" x 20" or smaller.
- You can check the websites of the various shippers (UPS, USPS, Fed-Ex, DHL) and get their respective prices based on weight and size of package. Some of these outlets are allowed to offer discounts, as they are owned as franchises. Certainly worth asking!
- You might also check with local moving or freight companies--they might be willing to add your donation to their load for very little money (or for free) if they are heading this way anyway!
- Local businesses and/or civic or veterans organizations might be willing to sponsor the shipping expenses.
(Thank you for understanding that we cannot pay for shipping donations to us, as we need every penny of our funds to pay the shipping on the care packages to the troops: $15/package).
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