Imagine that the best gift you received this year had no monetary value, took 15 minutes to put together, and came from a complete stranger. What could a gift like that possibly mean?
It’s a simple thank-you letter, and if you’re in the military serving half a world away from home; a forgotten veteran; or a first responder exhausted from dealing with a disaster, kind words from someone you’ve never met can mean so much.
Those letters, accompanied by other small gifts, come from Operation Gratitude, an organization that believes the kindness of strangers is priceless. It’s the brainchild of Carolyn Blashek, who founded it in 2003 after a heartbreaking conversation with a soldier heading back to a war zone. He had just buried his mother, his only child had died, and his wife had left him. As Blashek recalled, he had told her, “I’m going back over there. I won’t make it back this time, but it really doesn’t matter because no one would even care.”
She was deeply moved by the comment and realized that “knowing people care” could make all the difference to those feeling alone and isolated. So, she created 600 care packages in her living room, filled with things that remind those away from home of “home,” like snacks, entertainment items, hydration supplements, and coffee.
Today, Operation Gratitude sends 200,000 packages a year. The cost of a package is about $25. Executive Director Meg Barron knows firsthand what members of the military go through while serving. As the daughter and wife of veterans and sister to a sheriff’s deputy, she knows how important a “thank you” can be. “Our deployed troops are our number one priority. They are our biggest recipients.”
The personal letters are the organization’s signature item. In an era of emailing and texting, getting people to write old-fashioned letters might be tough. Yet schoolchildren and adults alike use the organization’s online letter-writing guide to submit letters. “At least one of those letters goes into every care package. That is the most heartwarming gift we have,” Barron proclaims. Each letter is unique; service members receiving copies of the same letter wouldn’t have the desired impact.
If you decide to write a letter and include your name and address, you could get a letter back—or more. Barron relates how one volunteer got quite a surprise. “A very large soldier showed up at his door. The soldier asked if he worked for Operation Gratitude and said, ‘I received your care package when I was deployed in Africa, and it changed my life. I wanted to show up and say thank you.’ The soldier gave the volunteer a military coin. The volunteer carries it everywhere.”
The packages can also make a practical difference. A first responder had received a package and had it in his car while he was involved in a very long hostage negotiation. “He couldn’t go home. He [opened his] … care package from us … and found mouthwash and body wipes and five-hour energy drinks.” These helped him get through the standoff.
Many soldiers don’t get any mail, so for them, knowing that someone took a few minutes to write a letter makes them feel appreciated. “Not everybody has family that can send care packages or have the means to do it. So us, as Americans, we’re their family.”
How You Can Help
-Join the email list to be notified of volunteer opportunities
-Write letters
-Volunteer to help put packages together
-Make handmade items
-Make a cash donation
