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Support Our Troops--Operation Gratitude Makes A Difference!

"Your act of kindness not only met a physical need but also strengthened our troops emotionally.   It makes our job easier when we know we have homeland support--something we all cherish.   It means so much that someone took their personal time to stop what they were doing and to put together the package and then mail it.   It really isn't so much about what is in the package as it is about the support and love which comes from those who send these things.   It means the world to deployed members knowing that folks back home have not forgotten about us.   Your thoughtfulness will be long remembered.   Lt Col ML"

Our Mission

Hundreds of thousands of American troops are deployed in hostile and remote regions of the world, including the Middle East, Afghanistan, Africa, Guantanamo Bay and on ships throughout international waters. The physical conditions they must endure are difficult and they may be separated from loved ones for long periods of time. OPERATION GRATITUDE seeks to lift troops' morale, and bring a smile to their faces by sending care packages to service members overseas. OPERATION GRATITUDE care packages contain food, toiletries, 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 requested items or 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, all-volunteer corporation, funded entirely by private donations. For safety and security, the assembling of all packages occurs at the Operation Gratitude Headquarters in California.

Contact Us

PLEASE USE CONTACT FORM OR EMAIL US.
email: cblashek@aol.com
Report website problems: cwalters@opgratitude.com
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SEND DONATIONS TO:
Operation Gratitude / Carolyn Blashek.
16444 Refugio Road
Encino, California 91436 USA
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Volunteer Hours & Donor Delivery Information

Countdown to the 7th Annual Benefit For Our Bravest  
Get Ready to Come Help Our Heroes!   by Mac Duffy, L.A. Family Magazine

In 2001, two weeks after the 9/11 tragedy, the Benefit For Our Bravest Street Fair was started by Valley Inn Restaurant owner, Sophia Brodetsky, as a spontaneous fundraising event to help families of fallen NY firefighters.   Since then, it has grown in scope from the side dining room of the Valley Inn Restaurant in Sherman Oaks to a three-block outdoor street festival that both raises crucial funds and publicly honors and celebrates the role of America's "Bravest" -- those who selflessly put their lives on the line for the greater good.   This year, the Benefit will take place on a new date, May 19, 2007, and all the proceeds will go toward supporting Operation Gratitude.

Started by Sophia’s friend, Carolyn Blashek, after 9/11 to help troops deployed overseas feel support from the folks back home, Operation Gratitude is fulfilling the desires of our patriotic citizens back home to show their concern, respect and gratitude by helping them make sure the troops know we care about them as individuals. To help lift morale and bring a smile to their faces, Operation Gratitude facilitates the sending of care packages to service members overseas. Operation Gratitude care packages contain food, toiletries, entertainment items and personal letters of appreciation, all wrapped with good wishes of love and support.

This year also marks the 60th anniversary of the Valley Inn and its laudable tradition of always giving back to the community. Sophia is one of the most selfless individuals I have ever met. Having lost an uncle (one of the firefighters) at the World Trade Center, no one understands the importance of honoring our heroes more than I, and I can’t thank her enough. Clearly, Carolyn is of equal caliber, and everyone here at the Family Magazine Group applauds these two women and wishes them many more years of joy and prosperity.

So, circle Saturday, May 19th on your calendars, and start preparing the whole family for your chance to give back to the heroes that stand at the ready, day in and day out, to go wherever they are needed to protect our country and the world. And be sure to tell your friends!

2006 BENEFIT FOR OUR BRAVEST STREET FESTIVAL

WHEN: Saturday May 19th. Noon to 6pm

WHERE: Outside of the Valley Inn Restaurant – 4557 Sherman Oaks Ave, in Sherman Oaks. 1block West of the 405 and 1 block South of Ventura Blvd.

For more details on the event or to become a 2007 Benefit for Our Bravest Sponsor, visit www.benefitforourbravest.org, email benefit4rbravest@socal.rr.com, or contact Valerie Lawrence at (818) 424-5974   or Sophia Brodestsky at (818) 222-6693 . They are accepting donations for the silent and live auction.
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Thank you for your interest in volunteering with Operation Gratitude.   We welcome your support.   Please send an email to cblashek@aol.com to be added to our Volunteer Contact List so you will receive notices of all our events.   Children 12 years and older are welcome to participate during the package assemblings; children 12-16 must have a responsible adult present while they are working in the facility.   Younger children are encouraged to be involved through letter writing and recycling activities.  

We completed our Holiday Drive, during which we shipped over 57,000 care packages!Our Patriotic Drive will kick-off in the Spring; in addition, we are teaming up with the annual Benefit for the Bravest, in Sherman Oaks, scheduled for May 19, 2007. I urge all Operation Gratitude volunteers to participate in this event, as it will be our major fundraiser of the year. More details in the next few weeks.   For more information about the benefit, please contact Marsha Roseman at: MRose13432@aol.com
Due to our growth, we are searching for a new facility as we clearly need more space! Once we have finalized our location, we will be able to definitively establish our schedule for the Patriotic Drive. Our plan is to conduct daily prep work starting on Monday April 2 and the first assembling and shipping will be over the Memorial Weekend, May 26 and 27. We will hold three additional weekend assemblings during June and early July--all dates to be announced.   If you would like to volunteer in person for the Patriotic Drive, please email our Volunteer Coordinator starting two months prior to the event at: pennyalfonso@yahoo.com.   Write "Operation Gratitude" in the subject line.

During this period between Drives, we encourage and welcome financial donations, personal letters, and recycling of cell phones and ink- jet cartridges to support our program. We will begin accepting item donations for the Patriotic Drive in April and urge you to start organizing Collection Drives now. Please refer to the "How You Can Help" section of the www.operationgratitude.com website for details. Please email me if you would like Flyers for printing.

I could never adequately thank you for your dedication to our troops and Operation Gratitude. As volunteers, we truly have had and will continue to have a significant and positive impact on the morale of our service members in harm's way--please read the letters in the Mail Call section of our website as evidence.

I will close with the words of a Soldier who expresses my thoughts and feelings as well:

"Dear Operation Gratitude,
I thank you all so much for the packages you sent to me and my soldiers. The best part of the gift was the card with the group picture of everyone waving. I cannot begin to describe the feeling of gratitude I have in my heart for your devotion to us. I look at the picture of all of you smiling and waving and I see all of America, I see my own family in all of you. You are all such a blessing to me and I wish I could hug you as my own family. When I look at your faces I see average Americans doing their part going above and beyond their own situations in life to help another American. We all face our own challenges in life and I know that many of you may be facing challenges in your life even as you read this letter; but I know that you find your strength in what you do for us, I can see it in your faces. True riches in life are not in money or position or power but true happiness is the smile on your faces and please know it has made me smile. God bless each and every one of you in all you do. From the bottom of my heart. GOD BLESS AMERICA,
WO1 J.W., Jr."

Fondly,   Carolyn