Operation Troop Appreciation

Mission:

1. Objective:

   • The mission is to build and sustain the morale and well-being of the military community, both past and present.

   • Aims to assure members of the military community that the American public supports and appreciates their selfless service and daily sacrifices.

Values: 2. Dedication:

• Dedicated to active and veteran members of the Armed Forces who serve and sacrifice for the country.

• Focus on providing items that contribute to their morale and well-being, presenting a united front of support to deployed military personnel as individuals.

1. Memorialization:

   • Recognizes and memorializes the nation's past sacrifices to maintain its culture and freedoms.

   • Acknowledges the role in ensuring the safety and freedom of the nation's future generations.

History:

4. Founder and Origin:

• Founded by Kristen Holloway, a retired President, who started a personal project in March 2004.

• The initial project involved providing Under Armour® t-shirts to a local Pennsylvania National Guard platoon (1/107 FA, Alpha Company 759 MP) deployed in Iraq.

1. Positive Response and Growth:

   • Overwhelmingly positive response from soldiers, project contributors, and family and friends spurred the expansion of the initiative.

   • Within a few months, the project evolved into a national organization, officially established on July 1, 2004, as Operation Troop Appreciation, a Pennsylvania non-profit corporation with federal 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status.

2. Evolution and Expansion (2014):

   • In 2014, recognizing an increased need in the veteran community, Operation Troop Appreciation launched "Welcome Home," a veteran support program.

   • "Welcome Home" provides critical basic need services to veterans at risk of, or coming out of homelessness or hospitalization due to physical, psychological, or combat-related substance use issues.

3. Community Impact:

   • Since its establishment, Operation Troop Appreciation has supported hundreds of thousands of members of the military and veteran communities.

   • Generosity from private individuals, small business partnerships, and corporate sponsors has enabled the organization to present a united front of appreciation to American heroes.