GOLD2023

Operation Care for Troops

Because it's the right thing to do.

aka Operation Care For Troops   |   Nashua, NH   |  http://www.octnh.org

Mission

'Operation Care for Troops', a grassroots organization, supplies deployed soldiers, troops and sailors in Iraq, Africa, Syria, Kuwait, Europe, etc. with items not easily obtained in the hopes of making their job a little easier by caring, devoted volunteers. Further, OCT responds with requested items to our deployed heroes in a relief situation. OCT supports "Stand-Down Day" held annually in Nashua, NH for southern NH homeless & displaced veterans. OCT supplies a care package designed for the needs of the homeless veteran. In December OCT works with the NH VASH program suppling Holiday stockings for the children of service families in transition. OCT is a community involving organization from schools, summer camps to local retirement community to area businesses.

Ruling year info

2011

President

Thaddeus Luszey Jr

Secretary

Deborah Ann Chichlowski

Main address

PO Box 1604

Nashua, NH 03061 USA

Show more contact info

EIN

27-3685964

NTEE code info

Military/Veterans' Organizations (W30)

IRS filing requirement

This organization is required to file an IRS Form 990 or 990-EZ.

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Communication

Programs and results

What we aim to solve

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Our programs

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?

Holiday Stockings For Children of Homeless and Displaced Vets

VASH (VA Supported Housing Program) is a VA program in Manchester, NH. Homeless/displaced veterans & their families are in a five year program obtaining housing, life skills, jobs, etc. Each year the names of the children are placed on a tree for the holiday season with a requested gift item. OCT started 5 years ago making Holiday stockings by age and gender for each of these children. The program began with less than 60 children. OCT now makes 120 specialized stockings for these children. Case managers feedback is how overwhelmed the families are when they see the stockings and gifts for their children. It reinforces all the support of VASH.

Presently, seven female volunteers build these stockings. Items are purchased all year long by one of the volunteers. She shops sales, works discounts at many stores and lets those who want to donate for this project what is needed. There is another volunteer who transports all the supplies to the build site, moves the stockings to storage until case managers can take them, and transports them to Manchester, NH.
On average, OCT is able to build these wonderful, overflowing stockings for approximately $20 each.

Population(s) Served
Children and youth

The project involves four packing events held at a National Guard Armory in February, May, July and November. Each event takes four days with approximately 100-120 volunteers over these days. Volunteers sort and kit donated items. A production line is created to fill the boxes for the troops. To accommodate special requests of units, the production line is set by unit and the building process re-started. The exceptions are the special requests from the female troops. Their care packages are made independently by a smaller group of volunteers. OCT has received several emails requesting female specific packages as most care packages are normally geared towards men.

In November 2017, OCT passed 100,000 packages at our "November Holiday Stocking Packing". We shipped through December with all the new deployments and special requests from units. Our postage bill reached $20,000 for these November & December shipments. This month (January 2018) OCT picked up the '2nd Battalion, 7th Marines'. With our numbers over a thousand already for the February 2018 packing, the 2/7 adds another thousand (1200 to be exact) leaving us with increased financial needs for shipment costs.
Each packaged costs $12 to $17 depending on its destination. Historically May and August have a lower ship number. In our planning given last year’s August not decreasing and increased requested in December 2017/January 2018, we anticipated shipments in February of 1500.

Population(s) Served
Military personnel
Women and girls

OCT has experienced an increase in special requests for food items and for personal hygiene items especially from female troops. Higher protein snacks, nut mixes, protein drink mix and canned fruit met their needs. Personal hygiene items are lotions for dry skin (such as Eucerin, Aveeno, Bath & Body Works), powders (such as gold bond) , razors, shampoo, conditioner and pants-liners. OCT has set-up a specific section at the Armory to build care packages for the female deployed military. This allows OCT to best respond to their requests.

Population(s) Served
Women and girls
Veterans

Where we work

Awards

Congressional Record Recognize and Commend Operation Care for Troops 2014

United States Senate - Proceedings and Debates of the 113th Congress, 2nd Se

Affiliations & memberships

Comcast Cares Days 2018

Financials

Operation Care for Troops
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Operations

The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.

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Connect with nonprofit leaders

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  • Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
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  • Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations

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Operation Care for Troops

Board of directors
as of 02/13/2023
SOURCE: Self-reported by organization
Board chair

Thaddeus Luszey

Mark Detering

Madeline R Dreusicke

Theresa J Kenny

Deborah A Chichlowski

Joseph R Paradis

Teresa Syring

Board leadership practices

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.

  • Board orientation and education
    Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes
  • CEO oversight
    Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Not applicable
  • Ethics and transparency
    Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes
  • Board composition
    Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes
  • Board performance
    Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Yes

Organizational demographics

SOURCE: Self-reported; last updated 2/7/2023
info Candid has made improvements to the race and ethnicity options.

Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.

Leadership

The organization's leader identifies as:

Race & ethnicity
White/Caucasian/European
Gender identity
Male, Not transgender (cisgender)
Sexual orientation
Heterosexual or straight
Disability status
Person without a disability

The organization's co-leader identifies as:

Race & ethnicity
White/Caucasian/European
Gender identity
Female, Not transgender (cisgender)
Sexual orientation
Heterosexual or straight
Disability status
Person with a disability

Race & ethnicity

Gender identity

 

Sexual orientation

Disability

We do not display disability information for organizations with fewer than 15 staff.

Equity strategies

Last updated: 10/24/2022

GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more

Policies and processes
  • We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.