What's Happening on the OHH Front?
OHH Response to Hurricane Florence: Update 11/15/18
OHH continues to help families impacted by Hurricane Florence, Hurricane Michael and the aftermath. Our network of supporters and military families in the region continue to help us identify families who could use help. With many families displaced for over month now, and others who have had belongings and homes destroyed, we need to do more. We can only do that with your help!
*We are now adding families displaced or facing overwhelming repairs/loss from Florence to our Operation Christmas Spirit Program. Sign up to help a family in NC.
At this time, we are collecting the following items:
Gift cards: (Home Depot, Lowes, Target, Walmart, Visa, Piggly Wiggly, Food Lion, Publix, Chik Fil A, gift cards to chain restaurants, gas gift cards) to enable families staying in temporary lodging the ability to get food/eat out) while they don't have access to kitchens of their own and food costs add up. Visa and Amex gift cards are particularly helpful for families to also order online items.
Online donations: While many military families in the region are in the lengthy process of working with their insurance companies to recover losses, our Operation Enduring Support Program is assisting families who have lost their homes or have suffered significant damage with funds to get them through this difficult time. These funds are helping with gas, temporary lodging, food and basic necessities.
To donate and help families as their needs are brought to our attention, please consider making an online donation.
UPCOMING PROJECTS:
Operation Rack Pack for CLD 37 Marines and attachments October 4th Camp Pendleton -- SIGN UPS CLOSED
Operation Rack Pack for 2/4 and attachments (preparing for 800+ Marines and Sailors)
October 6th, 9am-1pm, Camp Pendleton -- SIGN UPS CLOSED
Operation Rack Pack for 1st TSB (preparing for 200+ Marines and Sailors) with St. Margaret's
October 10th, 9am-1pm, Camp Pendleton -- SIGN UPS CLOSED
Operation Rack Pack for 2-12th Infantry Soldiers (barracks for 220+, donations for 800), October 27th, 9am-noon, Fort Carson -- SIGN UPS CLOSED
Operation Rack Pack for 2/5 Marines, Sailors and attachments (preparing for 800+) November 10, 9am-noon, Camp Pendleton -- SIGN UPS CLOSE TODAY!
Operation Christmas Spirit Important Dates
~ Registration to "adopt" families, host angel trees and help with Christmas drives open for 2018.
October 10th-December 5th:
~ Wish list registration portal for unit nominated families will be opened. October 25th
~Deadline for unit nominated families to fill out their initial wish list forms. November 5th
~Online applications for individual ACTIVE DUTY families from all CONUS installations due for review
November 6th-7th
~Wish lists distributed to all who signed up by November 8th on November 15th (after that, 7 days from the time of registering)
November 15th
~Gift drop off events December 10-17th depending on location
~Gift pick up events December 15-18th depending on location
OHH Camp JOY for children of deployed units, Camp Pendleton
January 26th
Operation Rack Pack for the 13th MEU and 2/1 (roughly 1,200 Marines and Sailors), tentatively set for February 2nd, Camp Pendleton
OHH Baby Shower for New and Expecting Mommies, Camp Lejeune, NC
Date to be determined-- likely end of February
OHH Baby Shower for 1/4, SPMAGTF, and CLD 37, Camp Pendleton, Ca
Date to be determined, end of March
** Please note, out of respect for the families we serve and to protect the safety of those we serve and our volunteers, we never plan projects on or post return dates. We never post locations for events online, and only registered, base cleared volunteers receive details.
OUR RECENT PROJECTS:
OHH Camp JOY for 150+ of 2/5, 2/4, SPMAGTF 18.2, and CLD 37's Children
August 2018, Camp Pendleton
OHH Baby Shower for 37 -- 2/5, 2/4, SPMAGTF 18.2, and CLD-37 New and Expecting Mommies
July 2018, Camp Pendleton
SPMAGTF Family Appreciation Day -- volunteers, prizes and water play
July 2018, Quantico
Operation Rack Pack for 4 small units, totaling over 1,000 service members served. March-April 2018, Camp Pendleton and Camp Lejeune
OHH Baby Shower for 26 New and Expecting Mommies. March 2018, Camp Pendleton
OHH Baby Shower for 17 New and Expecting Mommies, February 2018, Quantico
Operation Rack Pack for roughly 1,200 single Service members. January 2018, Camp Pendleton
Operation Christmas Spirit 2017 served 328 families, 1,400+ single service members and
over 1,000 children at 7 different units Christmas parties. December 2017, Camp Lejeune, Fort Hood, Fort Sam Houston, Fort Drum, Quantico, Camp Pendleton, MCAS Yuma, Mirimar, 29 Palms, Washington, DC. and families all over the United States
OHH Baby Shower for 29 New and Expecting Mommies. October 2017, Camp Pendleton
Operation Rack Pack Barracks Project for 685+ single service members. November 2017, Camp Pendleton
ALWAYS ONGOING--CRISIS ASSISTANCE THROUGH OUR OPERATION ENDURING SUPPORT PROGRAM.
** Please note that for the safety of those we serve and our volunteers, OHH does not plan projects on or publish return dates. Nor do we post locations online. Only registered and base cleared volunteers receive directions.
Give the gift of your time.
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Donate Needed Items |
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Donations needed:
ITEMS for New and Expecting Mommies: Help us collect these much-needed items for our July baby shower AND help us replenish our emergency stock:
ITEMS for our SINGLE heroes! We will be welcoming home over 8,000 single service members in 2018 and could use your help with our most needed items:
We could ALWAYS use welcome home posters and cards! Let's make their first hours home FEEL WELCOMING and filled with APPRECIATION! Donate online or mail packages to: Operation Help a Hero 1 Brisa Fresca Rancho Santa Margarita, Ca 92688 0 |
Upcoming Events:
Register for events through this website, and check out our Facebook page where we also post last minute behind-the-scenes volunteer opportunities.
**Please note: for the safety of those we serve and out of respect for their families, we never plan projects on or post return dates or locations online or on social media. Please join us in spreading the word about these projects while keeping Operational Security in mind. Volunteer: Click here to volunteer.
Please make sure to RSVP for these events with your driver's license, date of birth and contact information no later than a week prior to the event to enable us to get clearance for all volunteers. |
We are an ALL VOLUNTEER non-profit organization dedicated to our military heroes and those they love. Here are just some of the ways we help...
We welcome home young, single service members. Operation Rack Pack: Join us as we spend the day preparing a hero's welcome home for young, single service members returning from deployment to barracks. Volunteers spend the day light cleaning, making beds, and staging welcome home gifts & messages. We celebrate little heroes dealing with deployment and give respite to their parents on the home front. OHH Camp JOY: Celebrate our littlest heroes and give mom/dad on the homefront a well-deserved 5 hour break.. Volunteers spend a fun-filled day helping children through fun activity rotations. We shower new and expecting mommies with spouses deployed with appreciation. OHH Baby Shower: Help us pamper and love on new and expecting mommies who are shouldering the burden of having a spouse deployed. Volunteers help provide a day of fun & networking opportunities for new moms. We spread the joy and Spirit of Christmas to military families, single service members, children and unit events. Operation Christmas Spirit: Spread the Spirit of Christmas through this program, whether it's through service, sponsoring families, creating care package for singles, collecting toys for children or volunteering for unit parties. We assist families in crisis. Operation Enduring Support: Care for families in emergency situations with your donations, time and talents. Through this program we privately help families in crisis-- those dealing with death, illness, natural disasters, and emergency situations. We provide food, gently used furniture, childcare, baby necessities, household goods, gift cards and in some cases financial help. |
In their words...
"Of all the organizations I work with, you "get it right." You're compassionate, ORGANIZED, purposeful, and you ask for nothing in return." ~Regimental Family Readiness Officer
"I can't be there when my son gets back and I'm so thankful there are people like you that care for our sons and daughters when we can't. Does this mom's heart good." ~Parent of a recently returned Marine who benefited from Operation Rack Pack
"My kids had a blast! I studied, cleaned and went grocery shopping, but it was so nice to do it in peace. My husband saw the pictures online. He can't believe how quickly they are growing. Thank you to all of you! You are angels!" ~Mom of 3 kids who attended OHH Camp JOY
"I don't like baby showers. Or at least I didn't until today. I laughed and smiled the whole time. I didn't realize how much I needed that until it started. Thank you for the generous gifts and making the day so special for all of us." ~Expecting mommy who attended an OHH Baby Shower
"It makes you feel like the community really does care and understand!" ~young Marine quoted in the OC Register referring to Operation Rack Pack efforts
"We love you and your Warrior's Ethos, we should all strive to be like you, there is no such thing as NO I can't, NO I won't.........you and your amazing crew always unselfishly put others in front of yourselves =) For that we love you!!!!!!" ~A Camp Pendleton Family Readiness Officer
"We had a Christmas under the tree this morning because of OHH. What can we do to thank you? Can we volunteer? If I had though of it, I should have taken a picture of the kids when they were surprised. We are forever thankful and we want to pay it forward. Bless you." ~family recipient of Operation Christmas Spirit efforts.