Show our troops you care through Operation Gratitude

As we witness an historic and peaceful transition of our government, and look forward to spending the Holidays with our own family and friends, tens of thousands of U.S. Service Members voluntarily endure the life and death hardships of combat while separated from their loved ones and the comforts of home.

Despite difficult economic times, our nation is blessed by the enduring democratic freedoms of the right to vote and the right to speak... freedoms defended by our Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines.

Especially on this Veteran's Day, now is the time to express our appreciation to the men and women of our Military who stand strong and stand guard to ensure our freedoms here at home and to promote the ideals of democracy around the world. Now is the time that you, too, can be part of their effort by supporting them on the front lines:

"Thank you so much for your care packages and the inspiring words of support, faith, and encouragement you so graciously and lovingly put together and sent to our team in Afghanistan. It really does make a difference to us over here. As service members, we are called upon to leave behind family, friends, and the comfort of our homes to support our nation. Because we have so much, we also will sacrifice to give to those less fortunate. Some mistakenly believe people serve in the military because we love war; what they don't realize is most of us serve because we love and cherish liberty and freedom and want everyone in the world to enjoy the same as we have in America.
God bless you,
Sergeant C.S. and the whole ANA COMM ETT (Afghan National Army Communications Embedded Training Team)"

Operation Gratitude is facing its most challenging year since its inception in 2003. Right now, 75% of the 70,000 Care Packages we will assemble for our troops will not reach them without your help. While our Corporate Product Donors have generously provided all the items we need for our care packages, our financial donations have dwindled to a trickle. Yet, our shipping expenses are higher than ever before at $9.30 for postage alone and more than $10 per package overall.

All donated funds are used for production and shipping expenses. We do not expend funds on overhead, fundraising campaigns, direct mail or advertising. We take no salaries. Every dollar donated directly supports our troops.

Operation Gratitude sends a care package personally addressed to every deployed service member whose name we receive. We send 100,000--120,000 packages per year, which requires a cash budget of $1.2 Million/year. This Holiday Drive, we will assemble 70,000 care packages. Right now, we only have the funds to ship one-quarter of them.

Nothing would be sadder than to have more than 50,000 fabulously full and completed care packages still sitting in our warehouse on Christmas Day. Fifty thousand Care Packages lovingly assembled by our dedicated volunteers that could not be shipped to our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan solely because we did not have the funds for postage.

We need your help to raise $500,000.00 this month to ship the care packages in time for the Holidays. $10 will send another package$100 will let 10 service members know you are thinking of them$500 will tell 50 troops in harm's way that you care. If you can afford even more, you can touch the hearts and say "Thank You" to even more of our nation's finest. All donations to Operation Gratitude are tax deductible.

Donations can be made by Credit Card through the Operation Gratitude website or by check payable to Operation Gratitude and mailed to:

Operation Gratitude
16444 Refugio Road
Encino, CA 91436

We know budgets are limited this year-- we are not asking you to spend more than you planned, but perhaps you can take $10 from each designated gift and send that to a Service member in honor of your friend or family member. We will send your loved one a beautiful tribute letter telling them about your thoughtful gift in their honor-- letting them know that they too just sent a package of love to a Soldier or Marine on a battle field. What could be a better or more meaningful gift this year?

We thank you for your enthusiastic support of Operation Gratitude through the years. With your kindness, we have been able to send more than 375,000 care packages to men and women far from home to let them know that someone, somewhere, does care about them.

Last year I sent you a letter regarding a Soldier who planned to commit suicide on Christmas Day, but changed his mind when he received our Operation Gratitude care package on Christmas Eve. Please help us make sure that every deployed service member knows someone cares about him or her this Holiday season. Your $10 donation could send the care package that saves a life.

Today I urge you to partner with us once again to serve the courageous members of the United States Military, who risk life and limb to serve us. Your tax-deductible contribution during the Holidays will allow us to put smiles on the faces of our bravest Americans during a very difficult time away from home and loved ones. They and we will be forever grateful.

We now offer a way to become a "Sustaining Contributor", supporting our program automatically on a monthly basis. For more information and to set up a recurring payment, click here: Sustaining Contributor

We always welcome your letters too-- either online through the Letters to our Troops Contest or by regular mail! Please write and send as many as you'd like-we will include all of them in the care packages. Your words have a powerful and meaningful impact-- please use them!

Please ask your family, friends, colleagues, associates, team mates, neighbors and everyone you know to join us in expressing our nation's appreciation to our troops. We must raise $500,000.00 this month to send all the packages by the Holidays! Spread the word!

Thank you!
Carolyn Blashek
Operation Gratitude