An active and conscientious member of the global community, Richard Uzelac supports the United States troops by volunteering for Operation Gratitude. The nonprofit organization Operation Gratitude operates with the mission of bringing smiles and happiness to members of the U.S. military abroad. In order to boost moral among soldiers, Operation Gratitude puts together and ships care packages to military men and women around the world. Generally containing food, hygiene products, and entertainment items, care packages also carry personal letters of appreciation and support from American men and women that express gratitude for the commitment and sacrifice the brave members of the military exhibit on behalf of their country.
Moreover, Operation Gratitude partnered with “The Mission Continues” Fellows Program in an effort to provide post-9/11 veterans who have been wounded or disabled with a supportive and respectful professional community for reentry into the work force. Through “The Mission Continues” Fellows Program, these veterans fill prominent leadership roles within Operation Gratitude and enjoy the knowledge that they are assisting other men and women who also put their lives on the line for their country. Wholly funded by private donations, Operation Gratitude relies on donors and volunteers like Richard Uzelac to support the cost of making up and shipping the care packages and to provide willing hands to write letters and put together the packages. With an average cost of $15 per package for the organization, Operation Gratitude succeeds in sending more than $125 in gifts per package to servicemen and women due to generous civilian donations. Boasting an extremely efficient administrative structure, Operation Gratitude is able to limit administrative costs to less than 1.4 percent of the organization’s total budget. To find out how you can help Operation Gratitude bring a smile to the faces of U.S. military servicemen and women abroad, please visit www.opgratitude.com.
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