Causecast

Operation Gratitude seeks to lift morale and put smiles on faces by sending care packages addressed to individual Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines deployed overseas. Operation Gratitude care packages contain food, hygiene products, entertainment items and personal letters of appreciation, all wrapped with good wishes of love and support.

Through Collection Drives, Letter Writing Campaigns and Donations of funds for shipping expenses, 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 in an active, hands-on manner.

VOLUNTEER
We welcome every Volunteer to join us on as many days and for as many hours as you are available and comfortable—during both the Prep and Assembly days!

We hold two major campaigns per year at the National Guard Armory in Van Nuys: The Patriotic Drive in May-June and the Holiday Drive in October-December.

HOLIDAY SCHEDULE:
Holiday Drive: September 8—December 20, 2009
Product Deliveries: September 8-December 5

WEEKDAYS
Monday and Friday 9-4
Tues, Wed, Thurs 12-4

CLOSED:
Monday November 9: Veteran’s Day
Wednesday November 11: Veteran’s Day
Wednesday November 25: Day before Thanksgiving
Thursday November 26: Thanksgiving

WEEKENDS: 9am to 4pm unless otherwise stated
Sat-Sun Oct 24-25: ASSEMBLY
Sun November 1: PREP
Sat November 14: ASSEMBLY (NOTE: NOV. 15 Date CANCELED)
Sat November 21: PREP
Fri-Sat November 27-28: ASSEMBLY
Sat December 12: ASSEMBLY
Sat December 19: ASSEMBLY (500,000th Care Package Celebration)

If you would like to volunteer in person for the Patriotic and/or Holiday Drives at the Armory, please email, our Volunteer Coordinator, at: OpGratVolunteer@yahoo.com beginning two months prior to the first weekend. Write “Operation Gratitude Volunteer” in the subject line.

We will be accepting item donations at the armory only during our Volunteer Hours of Operation as stated above.

For more information on volunteering with Operation Gratitude, please visit our site here.

WISH LIST
Operation Gratitude is always accepting of items from our wish list.

WE ACCEPT DELIVERY OF ITEMS DURING THE FOLLOWING TIMES ONLY:
SEPTEMBER 8-DECEMBER 5 for the Holiday Drive
APRIL 1-May 5 for the Patriotic Drive

Provide items from the Wish List (Please provide new items only; shipping address below):

DVDs, CDs, Batteries (all sizes)
Computer Flash Drives
Headsets (earpiece and microphone)
Beanie Babies/Webkinz, Small Novelty Items
Disposable Cameras
Prepaid Phone Cards
Travel-Size Board Games, Handheld electronic games
Bandana Coolers/Cool-Ties*, Mini-Battery-operated Fans
Hand and Foot Warmers
Single Serving Boxes of Cold Cereal; Individual Packets of Hot Cereal
Commercially wrapped individual packets of Trail Mix, Beef Jerky, Nuts, Energy Bars, Sunflower Seeds, Candy (Halloween Candy is great!!)
Ready To Eat Tuna or Chicken Salad kits
Boxes of Girl Scout Cookies
Packets of Powdered Cold Beverages
Commercially sealed Lip Balm, roll-on deodorant, toothpaste, toothbrushes
Individual packets of moist towelettes

Travel Size containers of Foot Powder
Screen Printed T-Shirts, Socks
Baseball Style Caps, Knit Hats and Gloves

Knit.Crochet Scarves; Neck Gators*
Holiday Greeting Cards (blank)
Tobacco Products
Unsealed personal cards and letters
Used Cell Phones, Video Games and Systems, IPODs, PDAs, Ink-jet Cartridges

PLEASE NOTE: EXCEPT AS STATED IN THE ABOVE LIST, WE ONLY ACCEPT TOILETRIES FROM MANUFACTURERS

All items and letters can be shipped or delivered between September 8-December 5 and from April 15 to May 15 to:

Operation Gratitude/California Army National Guard
17330 Victory Boulevard
Van Nuys, California 91406
ATTN: Charlie Othold: 818.437.6201

For a more extensive wish list of items needed, please click here.