Operation USA

From supporting long-term recovery efforts to coming together in person to strengthen our operations, this year has been about showing up - consistently and collaboratively. We’ve moved critical supplies, deepened partnerships, and taken time as a team to connect, reflect, and sharpen how we work so we can respond faster and smarter when communities need us most. This is what year-round commitment looks like. And as we head into the new year, we’re more prepared than ever to keep going. Thank you for being part of the journey. 💙 #YearInReview #NonprofitImpact #DisasterRecovery #TeamWork #OperationUSA #GiveAndItGetsThere

🎂 This October 1st, we celebrate the 90th birthday of our dear friend, board member and longtime supporter, Julie Andrews. From her very first call to us in 1979 to organizing unforgettable Hollywood fundraisers, traveling with us to Southeast Asia, and most recently lending her voice during the LA wildfires, Julie has been at the heart of Operation USA’s mission for 46 years. 💙 We are deeply grateful for her compassion, generosity, and advocacy, which have helped us deliver aid to over 100 countries. #JulieAndrews #OpUSA #HumanitarianAid #LegacyOfKindness

Behind the scenes ✨ Every once in a while, our team comes together in LA to make bigger things happen. From brainstorming to strategy, this is where ideas turn into impact. 💡🤝 #TeamWork #MakingImpact #BehindTheScenes #Collaboration

In late July, our entire Operation USA team came together in the office 💻to work on a major project: migrating from one CRM system to another. During that week, I had the privilege of seeing something truly admirable 👀: Richard, our co-founder, arriving at the office every single day, on time, and staying until the end ⏰ This is the same person who, 45 years ago, decided he wanted to do something to help others. And now, at an age when most people are retired or thinking about retirement, Richard still calls the office “home” and continues working tirelessly for the greater good. That dedication is what Operation USA’s foundation is built on. For 45 years, our mission has been clear: help people and support communities—and we live it every day. - Srishti Ramani, Marketing & Communications Manager . . #operationusa #richardwalden #inspiration #founderstories

📞 45 years ago, when few knew how to help in the face of crisis, one person picked up the phone—hundreds of times. Richard Walden, the founder of what would become Operation USA, wasn’t backed by a government agency. It wasn’t USAID. It wasn’t an institution. It was just an individual who stood in a moment of need and said, “I’ll do something.” That choice made all the difference. ✨ Whenever something goes wrong—whether it's a war, a natural disaster, or a humanitarian collapse—many of us want to help. But we don’t always know how. In times like these, when a body like USAID is being dismantled and longstanding global support systems are shutting down 🛑, one of the most impactful ways we can help is to reflect, remember, and support the people and organizations that continue to carry the work forward. 💪🌍 Below is a powerful message from Richard, reflecting on our early experiences with USAID—and what its loss means not just to us, but to the future of global humanitarian response. 🕊️ 📝 “When Operation California flew our very first relief airlift to Malaysia and Thailand in July, 1979, our briefers were USAID staff at the US embassies in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and Bangkok, Thailand. These people were largely former Vietnam-based USAID staff until that war ended in April, 1975. We were admittedly eager novices in the aid-giving world and though our small cadre of volunteers were mostly ardent anti-Vietnam War activists in the late 1960s until 1975, we knew the USAID people were very knowledgeable about all things Southeast Asia. When we stopped over in Thailand we were taken to the refugee camps on the Cambodia and Laos borders which had several times the number of refugees we found in the offshore Pulau Bidong camp in Malaysia. Over the next three years, Operation California flew multiple medical relief supply airlifts on donated cargo planes to Thailand and then directly into Cambodia and Vietnam. We always had the support and encouragement of the USAID field staff. This early experience led to now-46 years of work in over 100 countries. As often as possible, we solicit expertise where we find it and usually think of USAID as a smart "first stop". In a new (to us) area in need of our assistance we always start by asking a simple question: "Who do we need to meet?" or "Who is the great pediatrician of this part of (country x)"? USAID people could always answer these questions without fail. So the Trump administration has killed off over $8 billion in annual aid and fired thousands of experienced staff. The USAID headquarters in the Ronald Reagan Building in Washington DC is being planned for the FBI expansion. Putting USAID back together will take far longer than it took to destroy it. But if there's one lesson we’ve learned over 46 years, it’s that rebuilding begins—always—with those willing to show up.” 🙌

📢 Our 2024 Annual Report is here! 📢 At Operation USA, we believe in the power of collective action. 🌍 Over the past year, thanks to our incredible supporters, we've provided disaster relief, humanitarian aid, and community support to those who need it most. From emergency response efforts to long-term recovery programs, every donation as well as partnership has helped us make a real impact. 💙 We invite you to explore our 2024 Annual Report to see how your contributions have fueled hope and change. Together, we continue to build stronger, more resilient communities. #OpUSA #GiveAndItGetsThere #DisasterRelief #HumanitarianAid #AnnualReport2024 #CommunitySupport