Operation Gratitude Email Format
Armed ForcesCalifornia, United States51-200 Employees
Operation Gratitude is a nonprofit organization in the armed forces sector that mobilizes volunteers to assemble and send care packages to deployed service members. The initiative began in 2003 when founder Carolyn Blashek started from her living room, mailing four packages; since then a broad network of volunteers has delivered more than four million packages, each containing donated items, handmade crafts, and letters. The effort is recognized as one of the country's largest hands-on volunteer programs. It is based in Chatsworth, California, and serves service members, veterans, and first responders by expressing national gratitude through tangible acts of appreciation and by preserving the stories that connect civilians with those who serve. The organization supports communities and local leaders to sustain these activities and broaden participation. In recent years, it has expanded through partnerships with corporate sponsors to support care-package drives and related activities.