Operation: Holiday Spirit

Operation: Holiday Spirit (OHS) was created by the Hampton Roads and Central Virginia community wanting to know how they can support and show their appreciation to their local military families that are in need during the holiday season. Each year during OHS it became more and more recognizable that many area military families might not be able to afford a happy holiday season. Through Operation: Holiday Spirit, the public can support military families by selecting and providing gifts from established wish lists. It is through this generosity of public donations that the USO of Hampton Roads and Central Virginia (USOHRCV) is committed to bridging the gap between these military families and the local community.

Community Member(s) Accountability (aka: Angel Donors):

• individuals/organizations receive a military family’s wish list
• purchases gifts/wrapping paper
• drop off unwrapped items to the designated time and location.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

• As a military family in need of holiday assistance, how do I sign up my family for the OHS program? Military families (E5 and below) are referred to the OHS program by their command leadership/Chaplain.

• How will I know what to buy for the families? The families will fill out an application which requests their age and gender, additionally each family member creates a three item wish list. Please keep in mind, the wish list is just a guide not mandatory. To ensure that the families enjoy a nice holiday dinner, we strongly recommend that each family receive a gift card to a local grocery store, if possible.

• How much do I spend on a family? Purchase as your time and budget allows. The families are always grateful for any assistance they receive. There is no limit or minimum. Most organizations average around $25-50 per person in the family.

• Who do I contact for more information? Contact Krystle Lipetzky at klipetzky@uso.org to find out how you can get involved this Holiday season!