Operation Gratitude to provide care packages for vets, law enforcement, first responders - WITN

JACKSONVILLE, N.C. (WITN) - National nonprofit Operation Gratitude and a team of volunteers gathered in Jacksonville on Friday to prep for a special Care Package Assembly Day.

The giveaway will be held at the Onslow County Community Outreach Center.

“I received one in 2010 when I was in Afghanistan,” said Tim Driscoll a military veteran and member of Veteran Services of the Carolinas.

“It was during the battle of Marjah. Yeah, I remember we had done a mail call and I got this box and I didn’t recognize the sender. So at first I was kind of concerned, you know? So, I opened it up and it was just a bunch of comfort items for me.”

Operation Gratitude, Veteran Services of the Carolinas, and Onslow Community Outreach partnered to provide packages to vets in need, local law enforcement, and first responders.

The clinical director for Veteran Services of the Carolinas explained how important these partnerships are in helping veterans who are less fortunate.

“Many of our [Veteran Services of the Carolinas] programs are geared around helping homeless veterans. We have an outreach program and these are the individuals on our staff go into the woods, under the bridges, and things like that to find the most vulnerable homeless people we know, they’re out there. By bringing the community together or being a part with other partners in the community the entire community gets better gets stronger and so we’re working together not against each other,” said Murphy.

Food, scarves, and other basic necessities will be included in these care packages.

The giveaway will provide resources to 3,000 active duty services members and Veterans and 500 first responders.

Vicki Johnson of Operation Gratitude and a retired air force Veteran expressed her appreciation for the service of the men and women who receive these boxes.

“He’s putting his life on the line for our freedom. He needs to know that people care about him. We’ve put over 3.5 million care packages in the hands of people who are serving and sacrificing on our behalf it doesn’t get better than that,” said Johnson.

The giveaway will run from11:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. on April 9th. Organizers say they will accept walk-up volunteers.

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source: https://www.witn.com/2022/04/08/operation-gratitude-provide-care-packages-vets-law-enforcement-first-responders/

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