Yes, it’s true! We STILL put Beanie Babies and other varieties of small, plush toys in ALL the care packages we send to deployed Troops!
Why? One Service Member told us, “…it may sound silly but the Beanie Baby brings an odd feeling of comfort to a grown man.”
Another wrote, “Every work center in my division has a Beanie donated by Operation Gratitude; they’ve become something like mascots to my Sailors.”
Here is an especially touching email we received:
“I really wanted to thank you, the volunteers and supporters of Operation Gratitude. We have started receiving the goodie boxes. Everyone who received the boxes was so excited today. Everyone has their beanie baby on their desks. One person’s box had a very touching reaction. She got a stuffed squirrel just like the one she gave her dad when she was younger. He had used Velcro to stick it on the dash of his truck. He has since passed away, but her face lit up when she received the squirrel today. You reminded her of all the good times she had with her dad. All the Sailors had grins on their faces today. I cannot tell you how much we appreciate what you do for us. Have a blessed day! Very Respectfully, NCC(AW/SW) B.J.G.”
Many of the service members enjoy the Beanie Babies as a symbol of support from home. As one Master Sergeant wrote:
“I think everyone has had the most fun with the beanie babies. They are decorating and playing with them. The shop kind of looks like a beanie baby zoo. Of course most of us are male so it’s not normal for this which makes it very unusual but fun to watch. Thanks again for the boost to morale from your show of support.”
For some, the toys provide cheery comfort, a reminder of childhood…To others, they’re tokens of friendship to be shared with children in the villages where our troops patrol…and a great number of these toys make it all the way home at the end of deployments to be given as gifts for loved ones.
But the bottom line is: See these smiles? That’s reason enough for us!
We WELCOME donations of small, stuffed toys (Beanie Babies, Webkinz, etc. — 6″ and smaller). Find some on our Amazon.com “Wish List” or host a collection drive for new or gently used ones at your work place, neighborhood or school.
Please fill out a Donation Form and ship donations to: 
Operation Gratitude
21100 Lassen Street
Chatsworth, CA 91311
(262)674-7281
Additional Resources:
Donation and Shipping Information
How to Organize a Collection Drive
Wondering What’ on our “Wish List”?
Is your loved one deployed? Request an Operation Gratitude care package today: http://bit.ly/RequestaCarePackage
Questions? Send an email to Info@OperationGratitude.com
THANK YOU for your support!
Operation Gratitude Blog 
Hi. I have donated 100+ beanie babies. I also have about 20 of the Beanie Baby Buddies. Are you also interested in them or are they too big? They are in excellent shape, clean, tags etc. I would just like them to go to a good purpose and cause.
Thank you so very much for your support! We’d be very happy to receive any other plush toys as long as they are 6″ or smaller in length. If you have more questions, please let us know by sending an email to Info@OperationGratitude.com and put “Beanie Babies Question” in the subject line. Thanks again!
Do you require that the Beanie Babies still have their tags? I have 100+ from when I was a kid, virtually untouched and good as new, but I removed the Ty tags long ago; will you still accept these for donation? Thanks!
We accept new and like-new Beanie Babies that are in excellent condition. No tags are required. Thanks so much for thinking of us! If you have additional questions, please let us know — send an email to info@operationgratitude.com.
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I have around 50-100+ Beanie Babies that were my daughters when she was little. Can I mail these to you for the troops? Thanks!
That would be wonderful, Dede! Thank you very much!
I just saw your post! I’ll box them up and start mailing them ASAP. Do you only take the small Beanie Babies? Do I send them to the California address?
Thanks so much! We take 6″ and smaller plush toys…Beanie Babies and other brands, too. You can fill out an online donation form and get shipping info here: https://www.operationgratitude.com/ship-packages/ If you have more questions, please let us know: Info@OperationGratitude.com
Hi! are you still receiving beanies? I would like to ship some
Yes, we are! Thank you!
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I have a bunch of beanie babies and some Disney beanies also, are you still taking donations like these?
Yes, we are — thank you very much!
Great I will get them shipped to you. Thank you so much. Glad they are going to a good cause!
Are you still accepting Beanie Babies?
Yes — we are! 🙂 The information here is current. If you have additional questions, please let us know via email: Info@OperationGratitude.com Thank you for your support.
Made the trip to Chatsworth today. Staff was very receptive. Even got a tour of the facility. I have to say, for me, being out of the Army for 20 years now, it brought tears to my eyes walking around your facility during the tour. To see what your facility does, daily for our Soldiers, Marines, Airmen and Sailors hit me in the feelers. We (My Uncle and I) donated over 1,500 beanie babies to the cause earlier today. We felt that they were going to an AWESOME cause. When are you going to open up a Riverside, CA branch?? Very honored to make this contribution.
Sincerely,
Wayne Fike USA SPC E-4
Bruce Leutzinger USMC Vietnam
Mr. Fike and Mr. Leutzinger, thank you both for your service to our country! We are honored by your very generous support of our cause — thank you so much! Thank you, too, for visiting our headquarters. We hope you will come again soon!
It was an honor, and quite frankly a pleasure for both of us. Luckily, I never served during wartime conditions, my uncle, however, was not so lucky. Both of us can tell you though, just what a care package means. Whenever your job, or the job of your volunteers and staff start to feel mundane, that what they’re doing either has no meaning, or that they’re just “going through the motions” please know, this is never going to be the case.
It means getting nothing in the mail from home for weeks, then all of a sudden, your name is called out during mail call. It’s excitement, because you haven’t heard from home in while. You haven’t seen your family for months on end. You haven’t spoken to them for moths as well. It means, when you open that box, it isn’t just filled with things you need, every item in that box is a reminder of home. In a place where you cannot get the everyday things, the little things that you’d like to have, where they aren’t available because you’ve been out in the box (field) for a month or more and someone has taken the time to put together a box of the bare essentials to try and make field time just a little more bearable, it’s a box full of hope. It’s a box full of will power. The will to get through the day, which puts your one day closer to coming home. It’s a reminder to what is waiting for the job well done, the protecting others freedoms back home, and better yet, ensuring freedom around the world and abroad.
It was once said when I was in the service, “Only a foolish man prays for war, the soldier, above all else, prays that they day he is needed never comes.”
A huge thank you again to you, your staff and your dedicated volunteers. Your job often may go without thanks or reward. You may not get to see the faces when the boxes get opened. You may only get to hear or see occasionally what each and every box means to someone overseas serving the cause of freedom and protecting our way of life, but trust me when I say, every box that gets opened has a far deeper meaning to every soldier or Marine, thousands of miles from the nearest thing/person they know. What you do keeps hope alive, spirits high and reminds everyone who laces up a pair of combat boots that they have a home to fight for, and to go home to.
<3! We couldn't continue the work we do without the support of people like you and your uncle. Again — THANK YOU!
just found this information , I have several boxes of beanie babies and would love for them to go to a good cause .. are you still accepting them?
Yes, we are! 🙂 All this information is current. Thank you for your support! If you have additional questions, please send an email to: Info@OperationGratitude.com Thanks again!
I was just looking on the site for the exact same reason! So glad you are still accepting them. We have a box load. Can’t wait to tell my kids!
Wonderful! Thank you so much — we’ll look forward to receiving them! 🙂
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Hey, are care packages sent as is or do you reorganize? Is there any way to send specifically overseas? Also, do you have a list for ideas of what to send? Thanks! 🙂
We do accept donations of items to incorporate into Operation Gratitude care packages, but since we have to sign customs forms verifying the contents of each box, we can’t send along “ready made” care packages. We have a “Wish List” of items to send here: https://www.operationgratitude.com/wishlist Thank you for your support!
Just wanted to be sure that you are still collecting beanie babies and other stuffed animals.
Yes, we are! All this information is current. Thank you for your support!
I just emailed the same question. I’ll be sending a box of beanie babies. Thank you so much for doing this!
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Still Collecting Beanie Babies?
Yes, we are! Look at all these smiling faces!
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Is the collection for small stuffed animals still going on? Thanks!
Yes — all this information is still accurate and up-to-date!
Hi, I just stumbled upon this site. Are you still collecting Beanies?
Yes, we are — all this info is current!
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I have hundreds of ty’s – boyd’s bears – various baseball bears- m&m stuffed toys willing to part with them but lost my job today can’t ship them Any one want to help in taking them to Van Nuys Ca i live in Las Cruces ,NM
I live near Van Nuys and go to Las Cruces several times a year. I wish I had seen this sooner as I was there in July and September. I probably won’t be going back until spring or early summer. I’m sitting on maybe 100 Beanie Babies and I’ve been thinking about donating them to Operation Christmas Child, but taking them to Van Nuys is a lot easier than making 100 shoebox gifts and paying to ship them.
THANK YOU so much, Barbara! We appreciate your support — and we’ll gladly and gratefully accept your Beanie Baby donations whenever you’re able to deliver them. Please let us know if you have any additional questions: Info@OperationGratitude.com
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I shared this on IG, FB, and on our local town’s Facebook group and I’m already receiving a huge response! I’ll send them soon!
Thank you so very much for your wonderful support!
Are you still sending care packages to the troops? Do you still need donations of beanie babies?
Yes, thanks for asking, Danielle. We are still sending care packages and yes, we do still need donations of Beanie Babies.
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I’m happy to have come across your website and I’m excited to begin the process of my beanie babies gathering! Thank you!
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Does anyone know of connections in the Racine-Milwaukee, WI area to help with the cost of shipping 100’s and 100’s of Beanie Babies (Ty, Coke, Disney etc.) to Operation Gratitude in Calif?
We collected supplies at our school and contacted a local American Legion, they were able to cover the shipping for us. I’ve also heard local VFWs will help with shipping costs.
Thank you for the info. 1800+ were shipped out in November.
Thank you for your support!
Reblogged this on The Do-Gooder Mama and commented:
Those of you with children undoubtedly have large collection of stuffed animals in your house. This is an excellent opportunity to talk to your children about helping others by donating some of their small stuffed animals to deployed troops. Josie recently went through her collection and we have a box of animals waiting to be sent. Seize the moment and put those unused stuffed animals to good work!
Reblogged this on The Do-Gooder Mama and commented:
Those of you with children undoubtedly have large collection of stuffed animals in your house. This is an excellent opportunity to talk to your children about helping others by donating some of their small stuffed animals to deployed troops. Josie recently went through her collection and we have a box of animals waiting to be sent. Seize the moment and put those unused stuffed animals to good work!
I mailed my donation of my collection of Beanie Babies and other stuffed toys off. I figured I didn’t need them sitting around in the closet. It was time for them to serve a greater purpose. All 70 of them are off to serve our enlisted. 😀 I’ve never felt better heading off to the post office in my life!!!
THANK YOU so very much!! 🙂