"I have seen their smiling faces and their attempts to say 'I love you' in broken English...I saw hope in their eyes and gratitude in their hearts for what was done for them."


1,151.5 Pallets Shipped Overseas!

Celebrating Four Years!


Operation Iraqi Children is a grass-roots program founded in early 2004 by actor Gary Sinise (Forrest Gump, Apollo 13, CSI: NY) and author Laura Hillenbrand (Seabiscuit: An American Legend).  Sinise and Hillenbrand created OIC to give concerned Americans a way to reach out to war-stricken Iraqi children and support American troops in their efforts to assist them.  Since its inception, OIC has delivered to Iraq over 200,000 school supply kits, along with more than half a million toys and thousands of Arabic-language books, shoes, blankets, backpacks and sets of sports equipment, all of which have been distributed to Iraqi children by our troops.  While our focus remains on Iraq, in recent months, OIC has extended its reach, sending shipments of school supplies to Afghanistan and the east African nation of Djibouti, where American troops are distributing them to children in need.  Featured on CBS Nightly News, ABC News, and MSNBC, and in publications such as The Weekly Standard, O, and Parade, Operation Iraqi Children has been named by Reader's Digest magazine as one of “America's 100 Best.”

Whether you would like to make a simple monetary donation-100% of which will go to purchase supplies for children and offset shipping costs-build and send school supply kits yourself, or start a school supply kit drive in your community, you can help our troops foster goodwill between themselves and the communities they work in, and bring brighter futures to children in desperate need.  Click on one of the links to the left to see how you can help.  Join us!

 

 

 


During a recent trip to Iraq, co-founder Gary Sinise visited with Lt Col Nancy Putman and Col David Lowe in Balad, Iraq. Sinise was briefed on the details of how they distribute OIC supplies throughout Iraq. Pictured below, they hold OIC School Supply Kits, ready for distribution.


OIC at the White House

(Left) OIC co-founder Gary Sinise sits to the left of President Bush during a meeting on June 26, 2006. (Right) OIC co-founder Laura Hillenbrand sits to the left of President Bush; past Managing Director Liz Wegman sits directly across during a meeting on March 21, 2006.

Operation Iraqi Children co-founder Gary Sinise was invited to meet with President Bush at the White House on June 26, 2006. Sinise sat down with representatives from other grassroots troop support groups to discuss efforts to support U.S. servicemembers. The meeting was also an opportunity to bring up concerns such as the difficulty of shipping items overseas.

On March 21, 2006, Operation Iraqi Children co-founder Laura Hillenbrand and past OIC managing director Liz Wegman visited the White House to meet with President Bush and First Lady Laura Bush. Personally invited by White House officials, Hillenbrand and Wegman joined a small group of representatives of non-governmental organizations serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. In an hour long meeting in the West Wing's famed Roosevelt Room, the President and First Lady expressed their gratitude for the efforts of the groups attending and solicited comments on how the administration can better support their work.

Press releases from America Supports You, the White House and Operation Iraqi Children.


OIC GOES INTERNATIONAL!
OIC's sixth shipment to Afghanistan arrives November 2007



We had long hoped to be able to send supplies to our troops in Afghanistan. With our sixth shipment arriving in November 2007, it is now a reality and we continue to explore ways to insure that these much needed school supplies reach the children there.

The second and third shipments' distribution are pictured above.



OPERATION IRAQI CHILDREN
NAMED “BEST OF AMERICA” BY
READER’S DIGEST MAGAZINE

Please click here to read the press release.


 In the early stages of Operation Iraqi Children, Coalition troops alone managed the distribution of OIC supplies to Iraqi children. In recent months, under the guidance of Coalition leaders, the new Iraqi Army has begun working alongside Coalition forces in bringing OIC supplies to the children who need them. OIC is happy to welcome the Iraqi Army into OIC, and as this force grows and strengthens, we look forward to their greater involvement in the future.

Read more about the increased involvement of Iraqi forces at U.S. Department of Defense News.

 


An Email Worth Sharing

Dec 2, 2004

Dear Operation Iraqi Children

Thank you so much for organizing this worthy activity.

It was almost 60 years ago that I survived World War II after 5 bombs landed in our garden. I received school supplies from the USA and I have never forgotten it!

I was a 6 year old child in first grade in 1946 after World War II in Germany. At school we received a package of pencils and also a bar of chocolate-each of the children! It was from the US Marshall Plan and I recall that the Quakers were somehow involved as well. I have been a US citizen for many years and live rurally in Western New York State.

It was very meaningful to me to receive this package from another country. That is why I am so looking forward now to assembling my school supply kit for Iraqi Children and also for our US soldiers to meet those who they are fighting for. May they have peace-both the children and our soldiers.

Sincerely,

Gudrun Scott, RN


Follow these links for news from Iraq and information on OIC donors and OIC volunteers.


Operation Iraqi Children

OICinfo@ptpi.org

816.531.4701 xt. 100

Executive Committee: Gary Sinise, Laura Hillenbrand, Mary Eisenhower

OIC Coordinator: Mr. Kelly Meyer: OICinfo@ptpi.org

OIC Warehouse Coordinator: OICwarehouse@ptpi.org

Site last updated May 5, 2008


OIC is a program functioning in partnership under People to People International, an NGO with a U.S., not-for-profit [501(c) (3)] tax rating.