We ask that you use the “Zipper” stitch for your lanyards. Our “quick release” design (or “quick deploy”) is preferred as it can be deployed in a matter of seconds and is simple to make.

We strongly urge you to use our recommended zipper stitch design. But if you send in a different design, it must be “quick deploy” and have 5 feet of paracord. The lanyard needs to be no longer than 6 inches and have a loop on the end that can be attached to a carabiner.

No. The lanyard is not made on a jig.

No, we will attach a special carabiner to your lanyards when they arrive at our facility.

We offer pre-cut lengths of 550 paracord through our eBay page. Each kit will contain enough cord to make five (5) lanyards.

You can also search the internet for 550 paracord, and a long list of companies will appear or you can purchase your cord on Amazon. Please note, you will need to cut and seal the ends yourself.

Please use 550 paracord only. 550 paracord is designed to hold 550 pounds. It has seven to nine individual strands inside that can each hold 50 pounds. You do not need to buy “MIL-SPEC” i.e.: military-grade or heavier “750” paracord.

Please do not purchase and send rope. Lanyards made from rope will not be sent in our Care Packages and are not eligible for community service hours.

We have found that most hardware and craft stores are selling rope and labeling it as paracord, so please READ THE LABELS CAREFULLY!

If you purchase the supplies yourself, you will need to cut the cord into 5-foot lengths.

When you cut the cord, please heat the open ends hot enough that they just melt, and then flatten them with a pair of pliers. This will keep the inside strands from spilling out while you make the lanyard. Please do not overheat the ends and create a bubble of melted paracord. This will damage the inner strands and make them unusable.

A five-foot piece of paracord should make a 5” – 7” lanyard depending on how tight your knots are.

As a general rule, we try to use the colors that blend well with our troop’s uniform.

Olive drab, blue, black, brown, sand, green, multi-camo, or any of the military camo colors are all good. You can also use deep shades of red, blue, and green, and multi-colored paracord. We want our troops to blend into their environment, so please stay within our color parameters. We ask that you do not send lanyards made with overly bright colors such as neon yellow, orange, and pink.

DO NOT send reflective paracord! Why? It’s because it reflects light at night and can make our troops and first responders highly visible while they are on patrol in the dark. We do not send items made of reflective paracord.

Finally, please do not send two-tone lanyards made from two pieces of paracord. While they look great, we promise the recipient a minimum of 5 solid feet of cord. Also, because the ends are melted together, the paracord will no longer hold 550 pounds and usually break in an emergency.

Yes, in fact, we encourage you to include a note for every lanyard you make! The note should be no larger than the size of a business card.

The note can be as simple as “Handmade with Love” and include your first name and email address or “snail mail” address—so the recipient can send you a “thank you” if they have time. Please understand that we cannot guarantee that you will ever receive a reply, but we do hope that you’ll give the recipient a chance to say thank you.

Please do not attach the note to the lanyard. Simply put your notes in a single plastic bag and we will include one with each lanyard you send.

If you are uncomfortable using your personal address, feel free to use ours: HWL@Operationgratitude.com. Please be sure to include your full name so if we receive a note about your item, we can be sure to forward it to you.

We are happy to receive your lanyards all year long! We do not have a deadline for your handmade items to arrive, unless they are part of a challenge. Feel free to send in all your lanyards when your box is full!

Depending on how many lanyards you’re sending, we suggest using Pirateship.com for discounted USPS and UPS postage.

If you are shipping hundreds of lanyards, we suggest you use Give Back Box for your shipping. Give Back Box labels allow you to ship up to 50 pounds for just $20. Feel free to include any additional items in the same box.

Absolutely! You can drop off your items Monday–Friday from 9 am to 3:30 pm at our facility in Chatsworth, CA. Please be sure to fill out our Product Donation Form and include a copy in every box/bag/envelope you drop off!

Please be sure to fill out our Product Donation Form and include a copy in every box/bag/envelope you send!  We want to know who the donation is from, and we want to be able to send you a thank you letter for your donation!

Our address is:
Operation Gratitude
19748 Dearborn St
Chatsworth, CA 91311

Absolutely! We want to know who is sending each and every item to us so we can send you a letter of gratitude for your donation.

Yes, you can earn one hour of community service credit for every five (5) lanyards made and returned to our facility or mailed to us with a Product Donation Form. Please include a note requesting Community Service Credit, and a self-addressed stamped envelope so we can mail the certificate to you.

For additional information please visit our community service page.

Lanyards made from rope will not qualify for community service hours.

If your service hours need to be verified on a website, please send the information to Volunteer@operationgratitude.com.

Please understand that our normal turnaround time for community service forms can be 2–4 weeks due to transit time. Turnaround time during November and December can be delayed by 4–6 weeks due to the large volume of inbound donations.