I’ve heard it hundreds, if not thousands, of times since I started as the CEO of Operation Gratitude three years ago — handwritten letters are the most cherished items in our Care Packages. As a Marine who deployed to more than 50 countries -- from the first Gulf War in 1990 -1991 to my time in the Middle East during 2008 -- I can tell you nothing boosts morale while you are deployed more than receiving handwritten letters.

"I realized that my letter writing didn’t have to be complicated. It needed to be a piece of positivity. This pandemic has created so much loneliness. People just want a bit of human connection." - Jake Kelly

Each year Operation Gratitude receives tens of thousands of Beanie Babies from grateful Americans across the country, and one goes in every single care package we send to service members deployed around the world.

I want you to know, it’s not just a care package… It is an opportunity to go beyond saying “thank you for your service” and build understanding, empathy, and ultimately bridges between civilians and our military, veterans, and first responders.

When the COVID-19 pandemic gripped the nation in early 2020, we at CSX turned to our trusted partner, Operation Gratitude, to determine how our Jacksonville-based transportation company could join forces with theirs to meaningfully connect with the country’s new frontline responders.

September 9 is National Teddy Bear Day, and I wanted to share a few stories that demonstrate Operation Gratitude’s Battalion Buddies are much more than just stuffed bears — and give you an opportunity to bring smiles to thousands of military children whose parents will be deployed this September 11th.

This week we launched the Clear Your Stash Challenge, and it is the perfect time to tell you about some of our knitting and crocheting champions who have impacted thousands of lives since our Handmade With Love program started in 2007 with Scarves for Troops. One such champion is Diane, who posted this photo of herself a few weeks ago on our OG in Action Facebook Group. With her most recent donation of 360 scarves, her lifetime total is now 5,577 scarves with accompanying thank you notes on all of them! I know her actions were not only admired by our growing community of volunteers but also inspired others to do more.

All too often, I’ve heard people who have never volunteered with Operation Gratitude say that we “just send care packages.” As the CEO, it is my job to change that perception by demonstrating and communicating the true impact we make as an organization, so they ultimately join our movement, too.

Thank You For Your Service. Those five simple words were the start of a conversation that led to a meaningful connection, which created better understanding and built bridges between civilians and those who serve our nation. Learn what Operation Gratitude did a year ago today and what it means for the future of our organization and the communities we serve.

Despite COVID-19 and widening divides in communities across the county, the renewed commitment of our volunteers, supporters, and partners has strengthened our resolve; and affirmed our beliefs. We recognize that Operation Gratitude has a responsibility to be part of a solution that unites our nation and builds bridges.

Thirty years ago this past Sunday, the Gulf War started. I had just reported to Camp LeJeune, North Carolina as a young Second Lieutenant. Four months later, my Artillery Battalion would deploy at the tail end of Desert Shield — in plenty of time to prepare our unit and our Marines for Operation Desert Storm. I can’t believe it was three decades ago.

In the midst of these unprecedented times, our family at Operation Gratitude found a way to adapt, evolve, and overcome adversity. Together, as a family, we continued to take action, impacting more than 325,000 Deployed Troops, Military Families, Veterans, and COVID-19 Frontline Responders in 35 states and Washington DC.