Operation: Military Matters to send 1000th care package to troops
Seminole, FL (September 28, 2018) – The local nonprofit Operation: Military Matters will gather tonight, September 28 from 5-8 p.m. with volunteers of all ages at Realty Experts, 7600 131st St. in Seminole to help pack 200 care packages and their 1000th care package since the organization started in 2015. The organization recently received a $10,000 check from Royal Neighbors of America as part of the Nation of Neighbors Program.
Operation: Military Matters is a 501 (c) (3) and was founded, by 12-year-old Graci Tubbs, It started out as part of a school project after World War II and Vietnam veterans spoke to students at her school for a Veterans Day assembly. Graci felt the need to support our active military and let the men and women sacrificing their lives, know people back home cared about them. She knows how much these care packages mean to the troops as she receives letters like this telling her, “I cannot thank you enough, you made this whole deployment worth it.”
Graci collects donations from the community to put in the care packages. The items include: toiletry items, snacks, hard candy, chewing gum, cheese or peanut butter crackers, small canned fruits, flavored water tablets, powdered drinks, microwave popcorn, feminine hygiene products, lip balm, sunscreen, socks, flushable wipes, games, instant coffee, creamer, Romen noodles, beef jerky, tuna or salmon packs, tea, gallon zip lock bags, sandwich zip lock bags, hand lotion, trail mix etc. There are donation sites throughout Pinellas County.
Since 2015, Tubbs has raised $40,000 to send the care packages around the world. Each package costs $16.15 to send not including the items inside the care package. To find out more about Operation: Military Matters to their website at www.operationmilitarymatters.com or visit their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/operationmilitarymatters.