During the seven year existence of OPERATION:H.O.M.E. this organization has endeavored to help enlisted individuals who cannot afford to get home for CHRISTmas. OPERATION:H.O.M.E. now receives many requests around the calendar for assistance aimed at special family events (graduations, family sickness, childbirth etc.) OPERATION:H.O.M.E. has always prioritized those who have not been home in 2 years or more. During the 2022 calendar year OPERATION:H.O.M.E. received 95 legitimate (those we confirmed as real) requests for assistance in getting home. With the generous support of our donors we were able to help 47 of those individuals in their attempt to get home. Here a are a few examples:
SPC Avellanna had not seen his siblings since 2013. Having moved to the US from the Philippines after his mother passed away, a reunion with his older siblings never occurred, Avellanna had served nearly 3 years in the USARMY without getting home for CHRISTmas…until donors of OPERATION:H.O.M.E. made it possible.
SGT Spurr has a younger sister who has been diagnosed with cancer…his mother is also battling health issues and he has 7 nieces/nephews he had never met. Those reasons alone were enough to assist Spurr in getting home. However, the fact he hadn’t seen his family in 5 years OPERATION:H.O.M.E. supporters underwrote his trip home.
SGT Bermudez simply wanted to see the family he had not seen since 2018.
PFC Martins wanted to see his grandfather who is suffering from Alzheimer’s, plus the PFC hadn’t been home at CHRISTmas since 2018.
SRA Spotts
SRA Spotts of the USAF left home before the pandemic…he had not been home since. In a conversation with his mother, she said “All I want for CHRISTmas is to see you!” Spotts is stationed in Italy…the airfare was more than he could afford. He reached out to OPERATION:H.O.M.E. and our donors delivered once again. The opportunity for OPERATION:H.O.M.E. to help the airman in surprising his family presented itself when 84 Lumber Company made a donation to the organization. We contacted 84 Lumber, and they also provided a location and truck. Watch the video of this special homecoming below.
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