Since we celebrated our heroes this week and had a holiday in their honor I thought it only fitting that we celebrate those heroes that support our troops. The story of this 16-year-old girl will tell you that there are heroes all around us silently impacting thousands of lives for the better.
In 2004, at 16, Mireille Manzone’s life was about to change when she attended a presentation by Scott Rutter, a retired Lt. Col. in the US Army, about his experience in Iraq. As she listened to stories of bravery and hardship, what touched her was the story of Mail day. Lt. Col. Rutter spoke of the loneliest day of the week for his soldiers, many of whom were barely older than the audience. He said that some soldiers might receive an occasional letter but sadly, many never received anything.
Hearing this broke Mireille’s heart and she knew she had to do something. Mireille was determined to find a way to show our troops that they were not being forgotten and that people back home appreciated their service and sacrifice.
So Mireille rallied her troops…..local schools, churches and Veterans’ organizations and before long the first 200 lb shipment of baked goods and letters was on its way to Iraq. The good word spread and before long the group now entitled Hugs for Heroes was born.
Two years later, when Mireille became student at Boston College, Hugs for Heroes became an offical non-profit and an integral part of campus life. Once again, she reached out to the BC fellow students and staff members to help take up collections on campus, pack and mail even more shipments.
Today, Hugs for Heroes, Inc. is still serving our troops and has shipped nearly 10 tons of care packages to the men and women serving overseas since 2004. Mireille is a hero for inspiring thousands to make a difference and bring hugs to our troops.
Charity Matters.
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4 Comments
Love what you are doing. We have OPERATION GIVE A HUG that donates to the children of deployed parents our ama7ing HUGGEE MISS YOU which holds a picture of their Hero (and message). How great it would be for HUGS for HERO’s to give our hug to a soldier. They want them also but need your org. To help. Call me at 973 650 5793 to discuss. Great work!
Just wanted to leave a very belated thank you message for featuring our organization, Hugs for Heroes, on your blog and for the very kind things you wrote!
We know that our heroes are the reason this country is so great. America is blessed to have great patriots who understand the price of freedom. We know that we can never repay them for the tremendous sacrifices they make for us every day, but we are eternally grateful for their service and their courage. Our goal is to remind them that those back home are thinking about them, and that we love them and appreciate their service and sacrifice.
We are so flattered that you chose to write about our organization and want to thank you for helping us in our mission to recognizing our heroes and all they do!
Sincerely,
Mireille M. Manzone
President & Founder
Hugs for Heroes, Inc.
http://www.hugsforheroes.com
Just wanted to leave a very belated thank you message for featuring our organization, Hugs for Heroes, on your blog and for the very kind things you wrote!
We know that our heroes are the reason this country is so great. America is blessed to have great patriots who understand the price of freedom. We know that we can never repay them for the tremendous sacrifices they make for us every day, but we are eternally grateful for their service and their courage. Our goal is to remind them that those back home are thinking about them, and that we love them and appreciate their service and sacrifice.
We are so flattered that you chose to write about our organization and want to thank you for helping us in our mission to recognizing our heroes and all they do!
Sincerely,
Mireille M. Manzone
President & Founder
Hugs for Heroes, Inc.
http://www.hugsforheroes.com
You are most welcome Mireille,
The honor was mine. I love what you have created and the amazing compassion you are showing us all through helping our beloved troops.
Best,
Heidi Johnson