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Operation Rack Pack Barracks Project
We are currently preparing for our SPRING barracks season. Here are our barracks projects COMING SOON:
Please note, for the safety of the Marines/Sailors in these units, we do NOT coordinate our projects on return dates or share them with the public. We consider actual return dates to be something that should remain private within the families of these units.
1. Operation Rack Pack for 600 Marines/Sailors from 2/4, returning from serving in Afghanistan. MISSION COMPLETE!
Project date: Sunday, March 18th from 12-4pm
2. Operation Rack Pack for 51 Marines/Sailors from 3rd AABN, returning from Afghanistan
Project date: April 18th
3. Operation Rack Pack for 550 1st LAR Marines and Sailors, returning from Afghanistan.
Project date: May (exact date TBD, likely mid-end of May)
4. Operation Rack Pack for 675 Marines/Sailors from 3/1, the 11th MEU. Project date: June
5. Operation Rack Pack for 675 1/4 Marines/Sailors returning from the 31st MEU. Project date: June
6. Operation Rack Pack for 450 Marines/Sailors returning from Afghanistan with HMM 268. Project date: July
5. Operation Rack Pack for 650 2/5 Marines/Sailors returning from Afghanistan. Project date: August (may be sooner).
7. Operation Rack Pack for 200 Marines/Sailors returning from Afghanistan with RCT 5. Project date: August.
8. Operation Rack Pack for 600 Marines/Sailors returning from Afghanistan with CLB 5. Project date: September.
Want to help us prepare for upcoming barracks projects? We could use your help!
- Sign up to volunteer for one of our grocery store drives
- Host a door-to-door drive in your neighborhood. Click here for a sample door-to-door flyer you can use to reach out to your neighbors in support of this project.
- Help us collect a specific item on our wish list... have a poster making party, host a new and gently used DVD drive, a pillows for patriots drive, etc.
- Host a BBQ or party this summer and ask each guest to bring an item from our wish list.
- Start a letter writing campaign... of thanks. Try to get everyone you know to write a welcome home and thank you letter for us to include in our gift bags.
- Start collecting gently used men's magazines (no older than 3 months please). Sports Illustrated and Men's Health are favorites.
- Host a yard sale and donate proceeds to OHH to purchase needed items.
THANK YOU to the following schools who hosted drives for ORP this school year: Ladera Ranch Elementary School, Oso Grande Elementary School, St. Margarets, Saddleback Valley Christian, Aliso Viejo Christian, Laguna Hills High School, Las Flores Middle, Robinson Elementary and St. Johns Episcopal School.
click here to see a list of companies, groups, schools and individuals who generously donated their time and resources to our 3/4 project. THANK YOU!
In 2011, OHH welcomed home over 4,400 Marines and Sailors from deployment through this important project thanks to people like you!
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Operation Christmas Spirit 2011
In 2011, OHH "adopt" 92 military families and made their Christmas wish lists a reality.
This is all thanks to people like you!
The families who benefit from our annual OCS drives are identified by leadership in chosen, deploying units as those who could use Christmas assistance OR the command feels they deserve a special thanks.
Operation Christmas Spirit 2011 supported families from the following units: 1/5, 2/5, 3/5, 2/4, 1st CEB, 1st LAR, 5th Marines HQ Co, 2/1, 3/1, 1st Recon, CLR 17, HMLA 169, 7th ESB, and 1stMarDiv HQ.
Here is a basic timeline used for our 2011 Operation Christmas Spirit Drive:
- Mid-October: OCS Committee met to go over requests and select unit recipients
- End of October: wish lists distributed to chosen units (deploying units only)
- November 1st: Wish lists due
- November 7-30th families assigned to donors/ angel trees
- December 6th: Gift wrapping and early bird adoption "drops"
- December 7th: Gift distributions and Christmas parties
- December 13th: Arroyo Vista Holiday Care Packs
10 Ways YOU can support a military family next holiday season:
1. "Adopt" a family with your group, school or business. Email "adoption" coordinator, Kristen Lanham at kristenlanham@me.com
2. Purchase a wish list item from our Angel Tree.
3. Donate gift cards for families to purchase their own Christmas gifts and needed items.
4. Donate toys for children ages 1-12.
5. Make and donate handmade holiday goodies -- blankets, crafts, ornaments, cookies, etc. for us to add into our Christmas baskets.
6. Assemble and create holiday craft kits for families to assemble together.
7. Donate online (link at top of page) with a note for OCS, and we'll do shopping for you.
8. Donate gifts families can use together -- games, movie tickets, amusement park tickets, photo sessions, etc.
9. Donate your services and talents -- hair stylists, photographers, self defense lessons, etc.
10. Donate a holiday meal -- box up and decorate goods for a family to cook up a holiday meal of their own or donate grocery gift cards.
OHH would like to thank St. John's School and the City of Rancho Santa Margarita for graciously hosting gift delivery and pick-up sites. A very special thank you to Guazzos Catering and Tutto Fresco who provided breakfast and lunch to our special recipients.
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OHH Baby!
(Operation Help A Hero) Baby Showers
Help Us Pamper and Unite 2/5's New and Expecting Mommies During Their Afghanistan Deployment
We are hosting a shower to pamper 25 mommies from 2/5 on April 22nd with 2/5's Adoptive City, Rancho Santa Margarita.
ALL VOLUNTEER SLOTS FOR THE APRIL 22ND BABY SHOWER ARE NOW FULL!
Want to "adopt" your own mommy? Contact OHH's Baby Shower co- Coordinator, Laura Hopper at ttalhopstop@aol.com
Items we could ALWAYS use for our
OHH baby showers:
- Diapers and wipes (sizes newborn through size 4)
- Baby blankets
- Baby books and parenting books
- Larger items that can often be a huge financial burden on our military families like: car seats, strollers, cribs, bouncers, swings, high chairs and pac n'plays
- Gift cards to Babies R'US, Target and Walmart which will enable mommies to purchase needed registry items
- Baby bjorn carriers and floor mobile gyms
- Formula and bottling supplies
- Baby toys and teddy bears
- Diaper bags
- White onesies
Here are just some of the mommies/units we have helped through our OHH Baby Showers in 2011:
1. A shower benefitting 26 mommies from 3/5 on January 23rd. MISSION ACCOMPLISHED
2. A shower benefitting 27 mommies from 2/5 on March 20th MISSION ACCOMPLISHED
3. A shower benefitting 37 mommies from 1/5 on June 26th MISSION ACCOMPLISHED
4. Shower for HMLA 168 -- 18 mommies
5. Baby Shower for 23 mommies from 7th ESB on September 13th -- MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!
6. Baby Shower for 24 2/4 mommies on November 6th.
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