Operation Gratitude seeks to lift morale in the Military Community by sending care packages addressed to individual Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines deployed overseas, to their children left behind, and to Veterans, First Responders, Wounded Warriors and their Care Givers.   Operation Gratitude Care Packages contain food, hygiene products, entertainment and handmade items, plus personal letters of appreciation, all wrapped with good wishes of love and support.

Through Collection Drives, Letter Writing Campaigns, Craft Projects and Financial Donations, 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 through active, hands-on Volunteerism.

Operation Gratitude is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, volunteer-based corporation, funded entirely by private donations. For safety and security, the assembling of all packages occurs at the Army National Guard Armory in Van Nuys, California.

Veteran, Wounded Warrior and Care Giver Care Package Programs:

Operation Gratitude works with representatives at Military hospitals, Wounded Warrior Transition Units, VA Hospitals and Veterans’ Organizations to provide care packages for Veterans, Wounded Warriors and their Care Givers to let them know they are never forgotten and because it is never too late to say, “Thank You.”

Recognizing that Warriors when first injured are most concerned with the well-being of their comrades still on the frontlines, we also offer a service to send care packages to the wounded’s buddies.  Not only does this let the downrange troops know their wounded comrade is thinking about them, but most importantly, it helps the wounded feel they are still contributing to the mission and supporting their comrades.

In addition, Operation Gratitude sends “First Responder Care Packages” to veterans who volunteer to assist with natural disaster and crisis relief efforts world-wide, to thank them for their continued service.

Battalion Buddy Program:

The Battalion Buddy Program is designed to serve and encourage the young children of deploying troops and offer them some degree of comfort while their parent is far away, serving their country.

Who We Serve:

Operation Gratitude sends packages to Wounded Warriors, Veterans and Deployed members of all Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, and to units from all states and territories. While we will send at least 100,000 care packages per year, we know the recipients share with their comrades, so we project that at least 250,000 service members will be directly touched by our program annually. In addition, the impact of our program on morale is felt generally throughout the Military (2.7 million people) and by the loved ones of those who serve (several million more).

Demographics of Population Served::
The demographics of Operation Gratitude recipients mirror the overall makeup of our Armed Forces, which in turn closely reflect the American population. The 2008 published survey results:
African-American: 12%
Asian: 3%
Caucasian: 65%
Hispanic: 13%
Native American: 2%
Other (describe): 5% Declined to Specify
The gender demographics of our recipients also reflect the overall makeup of our Armed Forces, which is approximately 85% male and 15% female.

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OUR FINANCES

DOWNLOADS:

2011 Reports

2011 Financial Statement
2011 Form 990
2011 Annual Report

2010 Reports

2010 Financial Statement
2010 Form 990
2010 Annual Report

2009 Reports

2009 Financial Statement
2009 Form 990
2009 Annual Report

2008 Reports

2008 Financial Statement
2008 Form 990
2008 Annual Report

Operation Gratitude is a California corporation, granted 501(c)(3) exempt status by the IRS, and recognized as a charitable organization by the California Franchise Tax Board.

More than 98% of all donations are devoted to Program Services. Donated funds are used to pay for production, shipping and communication expenses. We do not pay for fundraising campaigns or events.

Operation Gratitude’s administrative and fundraising expenses are so low as a percentage of donations raised (1.34%), and our management so efficient that Charity Navigator would not compare us to other organizations of similar size.   Operation Gratitude is proud to have received a 5-Star rating and earned the Guide Star Exchange Seal, demonstrating our commitment to transparency.

This is a tribute to the patriotic spirit of the many key volunteers who devote themselves to the organization without pay in order to express appreciation to the Military.

Operation Gratitude is proud to contract with Veterans to fulfill key management functions, and to partner with “The Mission Continues” Fellows Program to welcome post-9-11 wounded and disabled Veterans as Volunteers in leadership roles at Operation Gratitude.  We provide the Veterans an excellent opportunity to reenter the civilian environment within the comfort zone of a Military facility, surrounded by exceptionally supportive and respectful volunteers and co-workers.

All contents of  Operation Gratitude packages are donated by individuals and groups through collection drives, or by companies that donate their own products.  In-kind donations of products and services averages $12 Million/year.  Our cash budget for 2013, to ship up to 150,000 packages, is $2.25 Million. Our overall cost to assemble and ship each package is $15; the donated contents of each package are worth  $75-$100.

Tax Returns, Audited Financial Statements and the Annual Report are available online at www.guidestar.org or by clicking on the Download links above. To read reviews of Operation Gratitude, click: http://greatnonprofits.org/reviews/operation-gratitude-inc/

For more information or to receive hard copies of our financial materials, please email: cazerah@aol.com or mail a request to: Operation Gratitude; 16444 Refugio Rd; Encino, CA 91436

BOARD MEMBERS:

Carolyn Blashek, Founder
James Weston
Sue Jensen-Pollard
Martha “Marty” Martin
First Lieutenant Jordan Blashek, USMC

OFFICERS:

Carolyn Blashek, President
Cheryl Zerah, Corporate Secretary
Robert Blashek, Treasurer

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PRIVACY POLICY:

Operation Gratitude will never sell, rent or otherwise release supporters’ information to anyone. We will use your email address and/or phone number only in regard to questions about donations and to email our Newsletters (3-4x/year) and Press Releases (when exciting events occur). If you do not want to receive these notices, please email OpGrat@gmail.com

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SECURITY PROCEDURES:

This Website has security measures in place to protect the loss, misuse, and alteration of the information under our control. The security measures used on this site include, but are not limited to, industry-standard Secure Socket Layer (SSL) technology, firewalls, and internal policies to maintain the security of stored data. While we follow generally accepted industry standards to protect the personal information submitted to us, no method of transmission over the Internet, or method of electronic storage, is 100 percent secure. Therefore, while we strive to use commercially acceptable means to protect your personal information, we cannot guarantee its absolute security.