SAN ANTONIO — USAA is partnering with Operation Gratitude for the second year in a row to send care packages to troops overseas.
Operation Gratitude is a non-profit organization that’s dedicated to showing appreciation to service members and veterans. One of its initiatives is to send care packages to troops overseas during the holiday season. USAA is sponsoring 10,000 care packages to send to troops and veterans this year. Employees plan to include hygiene items and a personal message written by a USAA staff member or their child.
Glenda Oakley, the USAA corporate responsibility director and Army veteran, brought the idea of partnering with the non-profit organization. She shared what the gifts mean to service members.
“When I was overseas, I was in charge of 100 soldiers and I wrote to Operation Gratitude for them to send care packages to our troops so, each of them could have a present for the Christmas season,” she said. “It meant so much to them, to see the smiles on their faces. It might have been the only care package they ever received the entire time. So, it’s just really important for us to acknowledge the sacrifice that these service members make when they're away from their family.”
USAA is challenging people to help send an additional 10,000 care packages by donating items through Operation Gratitude's AmazonSmile List between Nov. 5 – Dec. 15.