Operation Gratitude’s work is fueled every day by four simple words…
How can we help?
When Tolland High School in CT and Father Judge High School in PA asked this question of us, we gratefully replied with information about all of our exciting Service Projects, from letter writing to creating paracord bracelets, hosting collection drives, fundraisers and more.
What we didn’t know at that time was that each school was about to host a wildly successful service project! Thanks to the efforts of both high schools, we received 910 Paracord Bracelets, 1,014 Care Kits that held more than 8,700 collected items, nearly 1,900 additional wishlist items plus candy, and more than 500 letters. To top it all off, we received an incredibly generous donation of $3,571, from Tolland High School. We wanted to learn more about the key to their success, so we asked them to give us their top tips.
We learned that the major keys to their successful events were enthusiasm and excitement to support Operation Gratitude’s Mission!
Here are 10 Great Tips from the pros:
- Spend time before the events circulating flyers
- Create an informational video
- Write “Did You Know” announcements
- Create some friendly competition by creating classroom challenges
- Make sure that the staff and school community have all of the needed guidelines
- Set specific dates as to when the drive is going to start and end
- Break collections down by homeroom sections
- Have all hands on deck to sort the items
- Generate enthusiasm for involvement but make participation optional
- Excellent communication is a must! Advertising for the events was done through the school website and via email blasts.
We invite you to join Tolland and Father Judge High Schools in hosting your own unique event. Please keep in mind that there is no donation too small (or too large!). Each and every product and letter is appreciated and fills up our care packages. Each and every dollar helps us ship a package to a deployed service member.
As one Navy Sailor and New York Police Department Officer who received an Operation Gratitude Care Package wrote:
“Every box, every piece of paper, every cloth, every book, every pen, every pencil, every notebook, every brush, every toothpaste, every shower gel, every puzzle, every magazine, every letter, every piece of candy… means a lot to us when we are away from home. It gives us Hope, Confidence, Happiness, Strength & Pride that somebody thinks about us, that someone is there for us. Thank you all. God Bless America.”
No matter where you are in the U.S., you too can give that hope, confidence, happiness, strength, and pride to the men and women who serve our country.
So, how can you help? We’re glad you asked! Please visit our website to learn more about our Service Projects and how you can Make Every Minute Count. You will help us reach our goal of delivering 525,600 Care Packages this year – one for every minute of the year. We welcome your support!
Sound like something you and your group would like to do? Well, Operation Gratitude would love to partner with you to make an impact in your community, in your country and with the people who serve you both here and abroad. Click below to find out how you can be a part of the adventure.
