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12/27/05: New Orleans kids receive aid

Bayonne, NJ - A Bayonne-based nonprofit group played Santa Claus to Gulf Coast hurricane victims last week.

12/23/05: Troops Receive Super-Sized Chess Set

Washington, DC - The servicemembers recovering at Walter Reed Army Medical Center here will receive a unique gift this holiday season: a larger-than-life chess set adorned with signatures and messages of support.

12/21/05: Military Exchange Global Prepaid Phone Cards Keep Families Connected

Dallas, TX - Petty Officer 2nd Class Miller Shield and his family got lucky this year. His R&R occurred in late November, just in time for Thanksgiving. "We had a great time," said his mother Deborah Carmon-Coleman.

12/12/05: Helping troops over the holidays

Tupelo, MS - Students from Baldwyn and Jumpertown elementary schools drew pictures and wrote Christmas messages to our troops serving overseas.

12/10/05: Homemade cards headed to troops in war zone

Oceanside, CA - To help troops serving in Iraq feel less blue this holiday, members of a local volunteer organization, a San Diego radio station and a group of supermarkets have collected thousands of handmade cards to send to the war zone.

12/09/05: Local Law Enforcement Collecting Toys for Needy

Gilroy, CA - Local law enforcement officials are getting into the holiday spirit by participating in gift drives for needy children and sending Christmas cards to U.S. troops abroad. There's only one catch - they need your help too.

12/05/05: Army & Air Force Exchange Service Enlists Charitable Partners to Bring the Holiday Season to Troops who Need a Taste of Home

Dallas, TX - Just in time for the holidays, the Army & Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES) is working to get phone cards and gift certificates into the hands of deployed troops as quickly as possible through the Coalition to Salute America's Heroes, Operation Homefront and Operation Interdependence®.

11/22/05: Gilroy turns Out to Support the Troops During Holidays

Gilroy, CA - ...More than 100 volunteers, young and old, came together to pack c-rats (civilian rations), fill handmade Christmas stockings with goodies and write letters to send to our deployed troops.

11/22/05: Two Truckloads of Goods Collected for Military Personnel

Gilroy, CA - Two Wal-Mart tractor-trailer rigs rumbled into Gilroy Sunday morning, but their destination was not the Wal-Mart Superstore. The two rigs were coming from a convenience store convention is Las Vegas to the warehouse of Mike Nelson's Full Spectrum Machining on Camino Arroyo Drive with 48 pallets of donated goods for the Gilroy-Morgan Hill chapter of Operation Interdependence...

11/16/05: Local Students Help Katrina Kids

Hudson, NJ - Still learning how to spell, kindergarten student Alyssa Yannaccone knew she wanted to help kids who had suffered from Hurricane Katrina.

11/16/05: Truckloads of Goods Headed for Gilroy

Gilroy, CA - Two truckloads of toiletries, food and other donations intended for hurricane victims and military personnel fighting abroad are headed to Gilroy and Morgan Hill

11/16/05: Sending Christmas Cheer

Cloquet, MN - While folks in our part of the world are dreaming of a white Christmas, many of our native sons and daughters serving in the Middle East are as far-removed from snow as they are from home. One thing is for certain, however - they will be receiving a small slice of home at Christmas time nonetheless.

11/10/05: Operation Interdependence Sending Holiday Cheer to Troops

Gilroy, CA - They may be out of sight, but they're not out of mind. Members of the U.S. military will be receiving civilian rations known as c-rats this holiday season care of Operation Interdependence - a non-profit group that ships the packages to service men and women abroad.

11/07/05: Write a Letter to Someone in the Military

Gilroy, CA - Anyone who would like to perform an act of service in memory of Lance Corporal Jeramy Ailes can write a letter to an armed service person currently serving in harm's way, via Operation Interdependence.

11/02/05: Ailes Honored One Year Later

Gilroy, CA - A year has passed since gunshots in Iraq pierced the heart of a local family and brought home the reality of a distant war.

10/26/05: Group Wants To Throw Party For Troops In Iraq

San Diego, CA - Operation Interdependence is launching a campaign called 15 Minutes of Giving. It wants to send goods to Baghdad to help throw a party for 850 soldiers there.

10/24/05: Annual Halloween parade not just for kids anymore

Monticello, IN - Candy and make believe are two things synonymous with childhood delights. But they also coincide with Halloween, and on Saturday in Monticello, it's not just for kids.

10/20/05: Gural Seeks Fifth Spectacular Win in DWIDUDE.COM 50

Kyle, TX - When you think about the upcoming DWIDUDE.COM 50 being held this Saturday, October 22nd at Thunder Hill Raceway, you have to think about four time Texas Stock Car Spectacular winner, Tommy Gural.

10/19/05: Pala Mesa buys snacks, toiletries for troops

Fallbrook, CA - Aisle 4 was backed up for half an hour at Major Market on Wednesday, as volunteers for a group that mails care packages to troops in Iraq unloaded at least five carts full of supplies onto the conveyer belt.

10/12/05: 15 Minutes to Help the Troops - Drive Underway

Monicello, IN - A Support the Troops Donation Drive is planned during the month of October. Operation Interdependence® invites you to support the troops with 15 minutes of giving.

10/07/05: BHS Seniors Take on Two Causes

Bayonne, NJ - When the Bayonne High School senior class was asked to be an example for the rest of the district, the students stepped up to the responsibility and decided to honor a recently deceased classmate in the process.

10/01/05: Retired Navy nurse still answers call to duty

Camp Pendleton, CA - Carol Grice changed Marine Corps history. But she never thought of it that way. Grice, a retired lieutenant commander, served as a Navy nurse from 1954 to 1974.

10/01/05: Caitlin Cross - Outstanding Young Volunteer of the Year Award

Kansas City, MO - Fifteen-year-old Caitlin Cross of Baxter, Minn., daughter of Mark and Nancy Cross, who has been volunteering since the age of four, is the 2004-2005 National Outstanding Young Volunteer of the Year Award recipient.

09/19/05: Drive starts for stricken Gulf children

Bayonne, NJ - The Bayonne Board of Education, in cooperation with Operation Interdependence, coordinated by Anthony and Dani Jean Ward, have launched a combined campaign in support of the Hurricane Katrina relief effort.

09/16/05: Naval Air Station Oceana Teams With TV Worldwide to Salute Troops

Washington, DC - TV Worldwide, a fast-growing web-based global TV network, in cooperation with the Naval Air Station (NAS) Oceana, in Virginia Beach, Virginia, will produce a live webcast of the 2005 Oceana Air Show...

09/15/05: 2005 Military Women of Merit - Mary Ann Hillery

Fallbrook, CA - Fallbrook resident Mary Ann Hillery stands out in a crowd. It's the vivid red, white and blue stars and stripes stitched on her cowboy boots that give her away.

09/10/05: Donating Sweets for the Fleet

Costa Mesa, CA - Where most people see mounds of cheap candy, Taffy Dalby spots a donation opportunity. The Costa Mesa resident makes an annual sweep of area grocery stores the day after Halloween to purchase half-priced sweets.

09/07/05: Webcasters to Webcast Troop Support Group's Effort to Forward Troop Care Packages to Katrina Survivors

Chantilly, VA - Operation Interdependence®, a major U.S. troop support group known for large care package shipments known as civilian rations® to troops overseas, announced it has teamed with the International Webcasting Association (IWA) for a live webcast to invite support for its effort to re-direct the group's vast infrastructure to deliver civilian rations® to Katrina survivors.

08/30/05: Group shows support for local troops

Monticello, IN - A local division of the national Operation Interdependence organization is sending soldiers overseas a little TLC, one box at a time.

08/24/05: Give 15 Minutes to Support Troops

Houston, TX - Supporting U.S. soldiers just got easier thanks to Operation Interdependence, a civilian-to-military delivery system. According to OI it only takes "15 Minutes of Giving" to send personal notes of encouragement or a provide items for a box of C-rations, and OI will get it there without bogging down the military's own delivery system.

08/23/05: Caitlin Cross receives young volunteer award

Brainerd, MN - Caitlin Cross, 15, daughter of Mark and Nancy Cross, Baxter, was recognized as the 2004-2005 National Outstanding Young Volunteer of the Year Award recipient during the 92nd national convention of the VFW Ladies Auxiliary in Salt Lake City.

08/20/05: Delivering a bit of home to the deployed

Camp Pendleton, CA - After returning from Iraq, Navy corpsman Lawrence Duran wanted to put together care packets for comrades still deployed.

08/16/05: Richmond mother rallies support for troops abroad

Contra Costa, CA - Marva Lyons didn't plan to start an organization to write supportive letters to military troops in the world's hot spots, but when the need arose she was ready. Almost.

07/17/05: Military to be honored at O'Side carnival

Oceanside, CA - For the third straight year, a local shopping center is honoring members of the military and their families with a day of fun at Mission Marketplace’s Military Appreciation Day from noon to 5 p.m June 18.

07/09/05: U.S. Marine visits Kid Corner

Cloquet, MN - Young people in the Kids Corner School Age Care got a glimpse – up close and personal – of a soldier similar to the ones they are supporting through their Operation Interdependence (OI) initiative.

07/08/05: Thanks for the troops support

Gilroy, CA - I would like to thank the many community members for helping to make a visitor to Gilroy, Al Rentaria, the founder and CEO of Operation Interdependence, understand and witness the generosity and caring nature that our South Bay communities have to offer.

07/04/05: Grand Junction seeks own chapter of soldier support group

Grand Junction, CO - Western Colorado residents can send letters and small care packages to soldiers serving in Operation Enduring Freedom through a nonprofit organization, Operation Interdependence.

07/02/05: American-Statesman

Austin, TX - "You know in the Civil War -- how the ladies tore their slips to make bandages?" says 52-year-old Cindy Dyer. "That's kind of like what we're doing right here."

07/01/05: National Park Service Teams With TV Worldwide to Salute Troops, With Live Satellite and Web Simulcast of National 4th of July Fireworks

Washington, D.C. - TV Worldwide, a fast-growing web-based global TV network, in cooperation with the National Park Service, will produce a live simulcast via satellite and the web of the Washington, D.C., 4th of July Fireworks Celebration for the benefit of American military personnel and their families stationed overseas with a special salute to disabled Iraqi and Afghan war vets here at home.

06/30/05: Learn how you can help support our troops

Gilroy, CA - As a proud Marine Mom I would like to let the South Bay communities know that the founder and President of Operation Interdependence (www.oidelivers.org) will be visiting Gilroy this Saturday. OI is an organization that provides a means for people like you and I to support the troops by sending care packages and letters of thanks and encouragement to the troops on the frontlines without impacting military resources.

06/26/05: 'Tunes' raises money for troops

Tupelo, MS - Dozens of people showed up Saturday at Evergreen Apartments on Lawndale Drive to support a good cause - helping U.S. troops in Iraq.

06/24/05: Area motor sports: USRA Plans 3-series Showing

San Antonio, TX - The United States Racing Association will showcase all three of its racing series Saturday night at San Antonio Speedway.

06/18/05: Texas Super Racing Series joins Operation Interdependence

Austin, TX - On Saturday, June 18, at Thunder Hill Raceway, Operation Interdependence® and the stars of the Texas Super Racing Series will be joining together to assist service men and women in the armed forces in the Operation Interdependence® 100. OI® provides a means for delivering support in the form of civilian rations® ...

06/17/05: Military to be Honored at O’side Carnival

Oceanside, CA - For the third straight year, a local shopping center is honoring members of the military and their families with a day of fun at Mission Marketplace’s Military Appreciation Day from noon to 5 p.m June 18.

06/16/05: Kids Corner Program to support local troops serving overseas

Tupelo, MS - "Imagine, if you will, that you're on a camping trip - one that lasts a full year - and all you can bring with you is what you can carry on your back." That's the scenario posed by Karen Hoerz, a volunteer with Operation Interdependence, during a visit last week with children in the Kids Corner School Age Child Care Program at Washington School.

06/02/05: Burning rubber for soldiers

Brainerd, MN - Going into his seventh season of racing a Top Alcohol Funny Car and among the entries in the NHRA Lucas Oils Drag Racing Series West Central Divisional Friday through Sunday at Brainerd International Raceway, Big Lake's Gage Chaffee said he still learns something with every quarter-mile pass.

05/16/05: Legend Creative Group

Dave Voitik, owner of Legend Creative Group in Lake Zurich, IL called on family, friends, colleagues and clients to help out with the first of quarterly collections of C-Rats for the troops to be shipped through Operation Interdependence.

05/06/05: Girl Scout Cookies to Make Their Way to Soldiers

Escondido, CA - Thinking outside the box, of cookies that is, has a whole new meaning for one local Girl Scout troop.

04/18/05: OI Booth Recreates Military Command Post

Radio World - Operation Interdependence (OI), a civilian-to-military delivery system, is continuing its mission of supporting troops overseas by offering show attendees the opportunity to write a personal note and pack Civilian Rations, dubbed "C Rats," for those deployed on the frontlines.

03/20/05: Love and lip balm for troops in Iraq

Austin, TX - If all goes as planned, 10 care packages will make it to the front lines of Iraq in a week or two.

03/07/05: Magazine Feature
Desoto, MS - Click on a photograph to read the article.

03/05/05: Singer stops in Oceanside for small concert to support troops, volunteers

Vista, CA - For Keri Noble, Oceanside wasn't a stop on the itinerary. But the country music singer/songwriter made a diversion from her scheduled tour Saturday to stop in Oceanside for a "living-room concert" to support troops coming home from Iraq.

02/19/05: Marine welcomed home from Iraq by wife, day-old daughter

Lufkin, TX - One Angelina County family is celebrating two homecomings this week at their home east of Lufkin.

02/07/05: Tie on virtual yellow ribbon at troop sites

USA Today, USA - You can show support for U.S. troops serving overseas by wearing yellow ribbons or patriotic shirts - or you can use the Web. Sites run by individuals or charities let you connect with military personnel to send letters and care packages.

01/30/05: Volunteers welcome for "Operation Valentine"

Bend, OR - "Operation Valentine" volunteers are welcome Saturday February 5th at Operation Interdependence's new location at the Bend Factory Outlet Mall.

01/23/05: Snacks for Soldiers

New Haven, CT - Students from a middle school in Meriden are doing their part to help U.S. troops serving in Iraq.

01/11/05: "eNaugural" Ball to Again Be Webcast by TV Worldwide - Guests to Send Video E-mails to U.S. Troops

Chantilly, VA - TV Worldwide, a fast-growing web-based global TV network, announced today that it has been selected to webcast the second quadrennial "eNaugural.com Ball," the Hi-Tech inaugural ball the world can attend, as part of the 55th Presidential Inauguration, Thursday, January 20 beginning at 9:30 PM ET at Washington D.C.'s Wyndham Hotel.

01/11/05: The Academy partners with OI® for 15 Minutes of Giving™ Tour

Burbank, CA - The Academy recently partnered with OI®, a civilian-to-military delivery system® that serves as a program for Americans to demonstrate their support for our deployed military.

01/07/05: Family 'adopts' platoon in Iraq

Bend, OR - Sitting at a kitchen table piled high with Ziploc bags containing packages of ramen, miniature candy bars and other snacks, 11-year-old Kyrsten Sonnier scrawled a message inside a greeting card.

01/05/05: Program Uses New Care Package Concept

Washington, D.C. - The Internet is chock-full of Web sites for groups that send care packages to deployed troops. But one organization, Operation Interdependence, has a unique twist: Its focus is on getting care packages to troops on the front lines without burdening the military logistics system.