Gary Sinise and author Laura Hillenbrand, who wrote Seabiscuit, began a grassroots organization in 2004 called Operation Iraqi Children which has since been changed to Operation International Children or OIC. They have organized sending supply packages to troops who in turn pass them on to the children in countries where the troops are stationed. The 113th shipment was sent out on September 3rd. Click on the CBS coverage video below for more information.
Shipment Summary
Since its inception, OIC has delivered 1,455 pallets including:* over 275,493 school supply kits* more than half a million toys* 8,000 Arabic language copies of Seabiscuit: An American Legend* thousands of pairs of shoes* thousands of backpacks* more than fifty pallets of sports equipment
Shipment #113
3,200 School Supply Kits
Left OIC Warehouse September 3rd, 2009.
Destined for Kabul, Afghanistan
Another organization which was covered in the news this evening is Yarn Heaven. The troops in Afghanistan are needing woolen helmet liners which will keep them considerably warmer than the acrylic ones provided for them. So if you like to knit, download the pattern from the Yarn Heaven web site.
There are many areas where you can volunteer so dust off those knitting needles and send helmet liners to Yarn Heaven or Packages from Home, stick some blankets or school supplies in a box and mail them to Operation International Children and let our troops know we are thinking of them.
