Media Center

For interview requests:

     Staci Wolfe or Jana Davidoff at Polaris PR: 323.939.7535

For Questions or Comments:

     Kelly Meyer at OICInfo@ptpi.org or 816.531.4701


Print Media

   
March 9, 2007

Scott Thompson, staff writer for The Leavenworth Lamp, discusses the multiple benefits derived from the efforts of organizations like OIC, which work to assist the troops.

Read more from The Leavenworth Lamp


March 9, 2007

OIC co-founder Gary Sinise traveled to Kansas City, MO on February 28, 2007, and stopped by to visit the Operation Iraqi Children warehouse before performing with the Lt. Dan Band that evening for the soldiers at Ft. Leavenworth.

Read more from The Leavenworth Lamp


March, 2007

Gary Sinse discusses the experiences that led to his co-founding of Operation Iraqi Children.

Read more from Guideposts


2006

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

Please click here to read the press release.



September 27, 2006

Comedian and former Marine Dave Bogan organized his second large-scale OIC supply collection in Milwaukee in September, 2006. Donors contributed nearly 500 School Supply Kits and almost $2,000.

Read more from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel


July 21 , 2006

U.S. Servicemembers in Afghanistan brought school supplies from Operation Iraqi Children to a school in the Parwan Province that had been damaged by arsonists.

The director of education for the province and the Charikar District representative to congress accompanied the soldiers and airmen on their mission.

Read more from News Blaze



May 6 , 2006

Gary Sinise, Lt. Dan Band Rock Pentagon

Actor and director Gary Sinise and his Lt. Dan Band rocked the Pentagon today, kicking off the second annual "America Supports You" salute concert commemorating Military Appreciation Month.

Read more from the Blackanthem Military News


April 7 , 2006
A group of students from the School of Business at the University of South Dakota sent 670 School Supply Kits to Operation Iraqi Children. The kits were collected and assembled by participants in Coyoteopoly, an interdisciplinary student service learning project.

Read more from the Press & Dakotan


March 24, 2006
Air Force Maj. Ray Powell is working to bring Operation Iraqi Children, an organization based in Kansas City, Mo., to the attention of the Fort Leavenworth community. The OIC program puts together school supplies into kits and sends them to Soldiers overseas who distribute them to children needing the most basic classroom tools.

Read more from the Leavenworth Lamp



February 15, 2006
The Iraqi police, along with coalition forces, participated in the Operation
Iraqi Children effort, bringing much needed school supplies to children.

Read more from U.S. Department of Defense News


January 23, 2006
When not appearing on the CBS show "CSI: New York" as Detective Mac Taylor, actor Gary Sinise devotes much of his time to raising support for U.S. troops. Sinise, who is planning his third trip to Iraq with the United Service Organizations, appeared on ABC's "This Week" today to talk about his new venture to help the children who have felt the effects of the war in Iraq.

Read more from American Forces Information Service


January 22, 2006

Civil Affairs Works With Operation Iraqi Children

Organizations and Soldiers from Logistical Support Area Anaconda recently gathered and distributed toys and school supplies to the village of Abu Hassan. As part of Operation Iraqi Children, the 3rd Corps Support Command civil affairs team is in charge of collecting and distributing supplies provided by OIC.

Read more from Anaconda Times



January, 2006
Are you looking for a class or school project where your students can reach out to help other children? Consider helping the school children of Iraq. Through Operation Iraqi Children.:

Read more from The National Education Association Online


December 23, 2005
BEYOND THE IRAQ of political news and of counterinsurgency is a population and a civil society, trying to right itself after decades of dictatorship, followed by war. Two Americans helping them do it are actor Gary Sinise and Laura Hillenbrand, author of Seabiscuit, who found an imaginative way to help children. Here is Laura's story of how it all came about:

Read more from The Weekly Standard Online


November 8, 2005
(CBS) Oscar-nominated actor and the star of "CSI: New York," Gary Sinise is using his star power to improve the lives of Iraqi school children.

Read more from CBS News Online


December 13, 2004
Team effort to get school supplies to Iraqi kids Guard force volunteers to make a difference in war-torn nation

BALAD, Iraq - The helicopter’s blades cut the afternoon sky as the Blackhawk flew fast and low to the ground, passing over villages and farmlands, skimming over tops of palm trees, and following the occasional road.

Read more from MSNBC Online



October, 2004
How Do You Spell Relief?
By Gary Sinise

Actor Gary Sinise tells how he and Seabiscuit author Laura Hillenbrand are racing to get school supplies into the hands of Iraqi children.

Read more from O Magazine


September 12, 2004
In Step With…Gary Sinise
By James Brady

Stage and screen star Gary Sinise—Oscar-nominated for his role as Lieutenant Dan in Forrest Gump—may be the only actor who’s gone twice to Iraq to entertain the troops. He’s certainly the only one who’s created a foundation to help Iraqi schoolchildren.

Read more from Parade Magazine



 
December 15, 2003
Laura Hillenbrand's mega bestseller "Seabiscuit" and the hit movie that followed have reached far beyond the realm of Thoroughbred racing and become international treasures. But not even Hillenbrand was aware just how inspirational her book was until several recent e-mails from Iraq. Read more from The Blood-Horse

Broadcast Media

   
 
January 22 , 2006

OIC co-founder Gary Sinise spoke to "This Week" on ABC News about his trip to Iraq and what led him to found Operation Iraqi Children.

See the interview or read the transcript at ABC News Online


April 27, 2005
Actor Gary Sinise, co-founder of Operation Iraqi Children and Shauna Fleming, founder of A Million Thanks appeared on Scarborough Country to give us the good news coming from Iraq and update us on how their organiztions are helping American soldiers.

 

WTVM Columbus, GA WTVM
Teacher Sends Supplies to Iraqi Children

"He left in March 2003, and six weeks later he was killed in Iraq when an unidentified ordinance exploded outside of the hum-v that he was driving," Tatum says. She remembers her 21-year old brother, Private First Class Johnny Eli Brown. She also remembers the last time she spoke to her younger brother...

"In the last telephone conversation I had with Johnny we talked about how children of Iraq were, the conditions they had to live in, and he compared the children there to his nephew, Bryce, my son."

Johnny had a deep love for his 3-year old nephew. Because of that, Iraqi children will benefit. Iraqi children will soon see basic school supplies, pencils, paper, scissors, glue and crayons.

"He never said it, but I knew if things had gone the way we hoped, and he came home, that if he'd learned about this organization and he would've taken part in it himself."

And although her brother is now a memory, she makes sure he lives on through his nephew.

-By Ashley Nix



 

Press Releases

   
March 21 , 2006

OIC co-founder Laura Hillenbrand and 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. See Press Release

December 14, 2005

OIC co-founder Gary Sinise traveled to Chicago to accept a $25,000 donation from AT&T. This contribution will enable the organization to continue providing Iraqi children with the basic tools needed to learn and grow. See Press Release

September 21 , 2005

About 300 children at Baghdad Airport Primary School started the new school year off right Sept. 11, thanks to Multinational Corps-Iraq soldiers at Camp Victory. See Press Release

August 5, 2005

Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld visited the set of "CSI: New York" in Studio City to thank actor Gary Sinise personally for his support of the "America Supports You" program through his "Operation Iraqi Children" effort. See Press Release