Operation Help a Hero
Serving Those Who Bravely Serve Our Country at Home and Abroad
Donate online.
You can help us where needed most or designate your donation to the project that speaks to your heart.
Spend your quaranTIME making a difference through OHH.
OHH is 100% volunteer, 100% hands on, and 100% community based which means when distance is required between us, our job becomes harder.
We have felt the impact of COVID 19 both in
the INCREASE IN CALLS FOR OUR HELP and the DECREASE IN DONATIONS.
We are desperately low on funds & supplies after quietly providing help to families, expecting mothers quarantined during deployment & returning units quarantined to the barracks immediately upon return.
We have felt the impact of COVID 19 both in
the INCREASE IN CALLS FOR OUR HELP and the DECREASE IN DONATIONS.
We are desperately low on funds & supplies after quietly providing help to families, expecting mothers quarantined during deployment & returning units quarantined to the barracks immediately upon return.
Our Recent and Next Events
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Here are 10 "contact free" ways you can help us during these crazy times:
1. Donate online. For the month of September, anyone who signs up for automatic monthly donations or gives a one time donation of $250 or more will receive an OHH t-shirt donated by one of our board of directors (will not come out of donations).
2. Drop off needed supplies at one of our hub locations (SoCal, Colorado Springs, San Antonio, Washington DC, or Jacksonville, NC). Towels, shave cream, Domino's and Amazon gift cards, deodorant, Via instant coffee, phone charging cords/stations, water bottles (like Nalgene for protein shakes), protein shakes, and toothpaste are our top ten needed supplies right now.
3. Order much needed supplies through our Amazon Charity Wish List, and it will automatically ship to us.
4. Participate in our VIRTUAL JOG-A-THON -- more details coming soon!
5. "Adopt" a new/expecting mommy for our upcoming baby showers. Our next baby shower will be in February 2021.
6. Sponsor a child with a deployed parent for our "Camp JOY to Go" event in January 2021 with a $25 donation per child. Just select "Camp JOY" for your donation designation here.
7. Donate much needed gift cards for upcoming events and Operation Enduring Support crisis assistance: Target, Walmart, Amazon, Restaurants, Kohl's, Grocery Stores, Gas Stations, etc. We are also collecting Starbucks gift cards to give to spouses on the homefront who drive through our "CAMP JOY TO GO" event on in January.
8. Sponsor a welcome home "Quarantine Kit" for service members returning from deployment. A $75 donation sponsors a service member's kit to include bag, toiletries, snacks, drinks, towel set and more. Just select "Operation Rack Pack" for your donation designation here and we'll reach out to help personalize your sponsorship.
9. Host a Facebook Donation Drive to Support OHH.
10. Get creative making kits and raffle prizes for our upcoming "Camp Joy To Go," OHH Baby Shower and Barracks Projects:
Camp JOY To Go:
* Craft kits for kids to do at home art
* Beach or outdoor play kits
* Toys and activities to raffle/give to families as they do their curbside pick up
* Games for gift bags
* $10 gift cards to Starbucks, Chick-fil-A, Sonic, McDonald's and Carls, Jr. to include in our goodie bags for the parents holding up the homefront during this deployment.
* Sponsor a chilly sweet treat for our "drive thru" event.
OHH Baby Shower:
* Raffle prizes
* Baby books
* Bath and play toys
* Mommy hospital kits
Operation Rack Pack (barracks projects):
* Toiletry kits (shave, deodorant, soaps, razors, etc.)
* Bathroom kits (hand soap, hand towels, bath mats, etc.)
* Drink kits (to be placed in mini fridges)
* Entertainment kits (cards, recent magazines, etc.)
* Snack kits (protein bars, mac n cheese cups, trail mix, popcorn, etc.)
Operation Enduring Support (crisis assistance):
* Crisis care kits for families: gas cards, grocery cards, comfort blanket
* Crisis care kits for hospitalizations: gas and restaurant gift cards for family, coloring books and small toys for kids, and entertainment items like puzzle books. Due to our limited storage, we ask that these kits are no larger than the sizeof a small back pack.
* Crisis care kits for emergency travel: Visa, gas or airline gift cards with small travel care package.
Upcoming, "Socially Distanced" Events
Please note: For the safety of those we serve and out of respect for their families, we never plan projects on or post information about returns online. Only registered and base vetted volunteers receive information about locations. Please help us keep our heroes and volunteers safe and always keep Operational Security in mind.
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.
Keep in mind: Due to the nature of our projects, events are subject to change to meet the needs of the units and families we serve.
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.
Keep in mind: Due to the nature of our projects, events are subject to change to meet the needs of the units and families we serve.
Learn About Our Programs
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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 help families and single service members in crisis so they can focus on their missions. 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. We care, so we give our time freely so your donations are used to directly support these programs and the troops they serve. |
Donate Needed Items
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Donations needed:
ITEMS for New and Expecting Mommies: Help us collect these much-needed items for our February 2021 baby shower AND help us replenish our emergency stock:
ITEMS for our SINGLE Service Members We will be welcoming home over 8,000 single service members in 2020 and could use your help with our most needed items:
Let's make their first hours home FEEL filled with APPRECIATION! Donate online or Mail Operation Rack Pack and Camp JOY packages to: Operation Help a Hero 1 Brisa Fresca Rancho Santa Margarita, Ca 92688 Mail gift cards for Operation Enduring Support and Operation Christmas Spirit to: Operation Help a Hero 4568 Outlook Ridge Trail Colorado Springs, Co 80924 Mail welcome home cards and checks to: Operation Help a Hero PO Box 80996 Rancho Santa Margarita, Ca 92688 |
THANK YOU to ALL who contributed in time and gifts to our 2019 Operation Christmas Spirit Program.
Sign up for Action Alerts and OHH E-nnouncements for Volunteers
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.