Frequently Asked Questions


Before posting a question on our forums, please consult this section to see if your question can be answered here.

I would like to send supplies. Where should they be sent?

All supply donations go to the OIC Warehouse, at this address:

Operation Iraqi Children

1529 Atlantic

North Kansas City, MO  64116

USA


Do we have any materials for use in promoting an OIC collection?

Yes. Please contact us for more information. You may also create your own materials, tailored to your collection. We are happy to provide photos for you to use. Copies of this Donor Information Sheet may also come in handy.


Does OIC accept any additional donations beyond school supplies?

OIC is currently collecting soccer balls and other sports equipment, blankets, backpacks, shoes and tarps in addition to accepted school supplies. Please include a Donor Information Sheet with your donation.


Do we need volunteers?

Yes. If you are in the Kansas City area, we are seeking assistance with assembling school kits at the OIC Warehouse.
Click here for more information.


When is the deadline for sending in supplies or donating money?

There is no deadline. This program is on going and will continue until further notice, and we are now reaching out into new communities in need, including Afghanistan and Djibouti.  School age children make up approximately half of the Iraqi population and they are greatly in need of school supplies. Keep them coming! Thank you! (Check the bottom right corner of our website's home page for the date the site was last updated)


Instead of creating school supply kits, I would like to simply donate money to OIC. Can I do that?

Of course! Just click on this link "Donations" for instructions on how to contribute monetarily. One hundred percent of all monetary donations are used to purchase supplies and offset shipping costs. Thank you for your generosity!


Will OIC pay shipping costs from my location to Iraq?


No. Donors should send their school supply kit packages to the OIC Warehouse. The address is listed above. From there, we will ship them to Iraq. FedEx and OIC's monetary donors' generosity reduces donor shipping costs to Iraq dramatically, but donors must pay to ship their packages to Kansas City. In most cases, these costs are not prohibitive. Please see our school supplies page for details and suggestions on raising funds.

In the past, many supplies donors have contacted local trucking companies who have offered up space on trucks already traveling through Kansas City. Taking monetary donations at a community collection could also support shipping costs.


I would like to donate items that aren't on your school supply kit list. May I do that?


While it is tempting to add items that fall outside OIC guidelines, we ask that donors stick to the list. Including non-listed items greatly slows the passage through customs and creates much more work for volunteers who handle the packages, as well as for the troops who donate their time and effort to distribute supplies. The content of the list reflects our lengthy experience with generating donations that are most needed, easy to clear through customs, and easy to sort and distribute. While it may be frustrating to be unable to include extra items or substitute different items, the kits assembled according to instructions are very popular among Iraqis and are often requested.

May I send used materials?


Because used materials are sometimes perceived as insulting to the recipients and create a disparity in the quality of items that each child receives, we ask that all donated items be new.

I'm not part of a group. Can I still donate school supply kits?


Sure! OIC was created to encourage groups of Americans to work together to assist troops in helping Iraqi children, but we welcome donations from individuals as well. Individuals can also help in other ways. By spreading the word about OIC, you can gather people from your area and form a group effort that will benefit the Iraqi children, American troops, and your community.


Since OIC donations go through the OIC Warehouse prior to shipment to Iraq, are American troops still involved in OIC?


Absolutely. One of the principal goals of OIC is to foster goodwill between Iraqi civilians and American troops. This is accomplished by sending donations from our warehouse directly to American troops stationed in Iraq. The troops then personally deliver and distribute the donations to Iraqi children.

May I enclose a letter to the children who will receive our donations and/or the soldiers who will distribute them?


Please do! The only restriction is to keep the letters positive and avoid the inclusion of religious or political material. Letters do not need to be translated into Arabic.

I would like to help OIC by volunteering to work in Iraq. How can I do that?


OIC has no personnel on the ground in Iraq. We currently have two volunteer civilian representatives who serve as our point of contact to arrange distribution with the United States military, whose personnel distribute our supplies.

Are there any tax benefits for OIC donations?


Yes, you may receive a tax deduction for donating School Kits to Operation Iraqi Children. Upon receipt of your donation at the OIC Warehouse you will be sent a thank you letter which may be used for tax purposes. You will determine the value of the items you contributed, but as a guideline we estimate the value to be $15 per kit.