Operation Gratitude

Operation Gratitude is a non-profit, volunteer-based 501(c)(3) corporation that assembles and ships care packages to United States service members deployed overseas.

History

After the 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States, founder Carolyn Blashek felt the need to aid the war on terrorism. Starting from her house in California, the charity now encompasses churches, schools, businesses and service groups all over the country donating items and writing letters to service members through Operation Gratitude. Since November 2003, Operation Gratitude has conducted its Assembly Drives in the California Army National Guard Armory in Van Nuys, California. The organization's mission is to lift morale, put a smile on a service member's face and express the appreciation of the American people for the sacrifices of the men and women defending our freedom. As of June 2010, Operation Gratitude has sent over 700,000 care packages personally addressed to individual troops deployed in regions such as Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as to those on military ships.

Operation Gratitude welcomes volunteers as well as donations of funds and products for the packages. The organization sends a care package to every deployed service member whose name is received.

In the media

First Lady Michelle Obama, Dr. Jill Biden and 25 members of Congress and the Obama Administration joined 12,000 Operation Gratitude volunteers on the National Day of Service, January 19, 2009 to assemble 85,000 care kits for Operation Gratitude care packages. President and Mrs. Bush invited Operation Gratitude founder, Carolyn Blashek, to the White House on March 10, 2006 and on December 18, 2006 to thank her and the organization for their invaluable support of the U.S. Military. Lt. General Hal Moore (Ret.), the legendary Commander made famous by the book and movie “We Were Soldiers” has embraced Operation Gratitude’s mission by participating at the Armory and donating his personal writing: “A General’s Spiritual Journey” for the packages. Several celebrities and sports figures have volunteered at the armory, including Ben Affleck, Ed Asner, Patricia Heaton, Kathy Ireland, Mark Harmon, Madeleine Stowe, Regina Taylor, the casts of Days of Our Lives, NCIS and American Dreams, and Lakers Shannon Brown and Josh Powell.

References

External links

• Operation Gratitude - Official site

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