As our organization matures, so do our volunteers! We often hear from our team that they first volunteered with us...

Singing his way across the country for others, Jack Knight has stopped at hundreds of police stations and firehouses to...

Although crocheting is her favorite method of volunteerism, Sonyia enjoys sewing cool ties and drawstring bags. She’s also ventured into card making because of the many options for creativity and color. Even while working a full-time job, Sonyia said “there’s not a day that goes by where I’m not doing something for Operation Gratitude. I just enjoy it so much.”

Donna Snell, a semi-retired event planner, became involved with Operation Gratitude a few years ago when a friend told her about one of their campaigns. In 2017, during the devastating Texas floods, Operation Gratitude was sending truckloads of supplies to families who had lost their homes. Donna’s friend was collecting clothes to assist with that effort, and Donna joined in to support the cause. This led to Donna attending an assembly day where she described herself as “hooked.” After that, she began slowly volunteering around her work schedule. Now Donna volunteers almost every day and has worked with every program Operation Gratitude has launched.

One of the most rewarding aspects of giving back to those that deserve your gratitude is all the benefits you receive. There have been numerous studies over the years that demonstrate the increased quality of life that can come with expressing your gratitude all year round. Operation Gratitude CEO Kevin Schmiegel recently shared, “Our nation’s military service members and first responders put their lives on the line to protect us, and we will do anything we can to help brighten their day, bring a smile to their faces, and express our gratitude for all that they do. When the nights get dark earlier and temperatures plummet, there is no better time to slow down and reflect on things you are grateful for, especially those heroes among us.” As you being your new year, reflect on these 3 benefits of gratitude and join us in saying Thank You to All Who Serve.

We believe that a grateful nation that serves together is a united nation. In our lives, and in America, there is a common thread that demonstrates service to others will bridge divides. And we have seen firsthand that this solidarity of service is the best way, and perhaps the only way, to reunite our country.

Family. That’s a strong word. Family is built on love, trust, and accountability, among many other things. Family is crucial for survival. Without it, what would the world look like? It’s unimaginable.  Hi there, my name is Andrew Buss. Over the last few years, I have been fortunate enough to be considered a part of the Operation Gratitude family. I have loved every minute of it. 

"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

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.

"Thank you for this small but substantial blessing. This really is so hard, and I’m just glad someone else understands."

I sat down to write this blog and share some reflections following two hectic and emotional weeks as the CEO...

As part of our year-long “Sweet 16” celebration, last month we invited our community of volunteers and supporters to compete...