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Gallery Collection Charitable Donations – Ronald McDonald House of Long Branch & New Brunswick

The Gallery Collection was extremely proud to be able to donate 100 holiday cards to both the Ronald McDonald House of Long Branch and the Ronald McDonald House of New Brunswick, both located in New Jersey.

The goal of the Ronald McDonald House is to provide a true “home away from home” for families of seriously ill children receiving care at medical facilities near the Long Branch and New Brunswick houses. They also offer Family Rooms and a Hospitality Suite in the pediatric units of four hospitals in Monmouth and Middlesex County.

The Ronald McDonald House understands how important it is for families to be together when a child is facing a health crisis. From a private room to a fully equipped kitchen and laundry facilities, families have access to all the comforts of home. They also have the support and friendship of other families. Families often get to know one another and share advice on the challenges of having a sick child.

The holiday cards that were donated to both of the houses were sent to supporters and donors as a way of thanking them for the help they have given throughout the year to such a wonderful and important place.

For more information about the Ronald McDonald Houses of Long Branch and New Brunswick, and how you can help, please visit their website at http://www.rmh-cnj.org/

Gallery Collection Charitable Donations – Friends of Jaclyn Foundation

As part of The Gallery Collection’s charitable donation program, we recently donated 250 Birthday cards and 250 Sympathy cards to The Friends of Jaclyn Foundation. The Friends of Jaclyn Foundation (FOJ) mission is to help improve the quality of life of children battling pediatric brain tumors and their families.

In 2004, 9-year-old Jaclyn Murphy was diagnosed with a medulloblastoma, a malignant brain tumor. In 2005 Jaclyn became connected to and later adopted as an honorary member of the Northwestern Women’s lacrosse team. Jaclyn’s strength, courage, and joy for life inspired the players, and they in turn inspired Jaclyn. Later that same year the Murphy Family started The Friends of Jaclyn Foundation so that other children battling pediatric brain tumors can have the same wonderful experience that Jaclyn had.

FOJ pairs up children and their families battling pediatric brain tumors with college and high school sports teams. The teams give these children love, support and friendship as they fight this devastating disease. They celebrate each day by creating lasting relationships between student athletes, the child, and their families. This greatly improves the quality of life for children with brain tumors, as well as those who support them.

For more information about the The Friends of Jaclyn Foundation, and how you can help, please visit their website at http://www.friendsofjaclyn.org/.

Gallery Collection Charitable Donations – The Joyful Child Foundation

The Gallery Collection is proud to announce a donation of 750 Thank You cards to The Joyful Child Foundation. The Joyful Child Foundation is dedicated to preventing crimes against children through programs that educate, empower, and unite families and communities.

The Joyful Child Foundation was formed after the kidnapping, molestation and murder of 5-year old Samantha Runnion in July 2002. Formed by her mother, the Joyful Child Foundation aims to prevent child sexual abuse and abduction through programs that unite and uplift communities, such as by providing child safety empowerment programs to children and adult education to parents and other caring adults.

The Joyful Child Foundation plans to use the cards to thank their donors and their sponsors for all the contributions made to this important cause.

For more information about The Joyful Child Foundation, and how you can help, please visit their website at http://www.thejoyfulchild.org/.

Gallery Collection Charitable Donations – Project Linus

The Gallery Collection is pleased to announce a donation of 400 holiday cards and 400 birthday cards to Project Linus. Project Linus donates handmade security blankets to children in trauma, including children in hospitals, shelters, foster kids, children of military soldiers who are either deployed or fallen, or any other situation you can imagine.

By the end of 2013 Project Linus will have donated over 5 million blankets to children in need. Project Linus accepts handmade blankets of any style or size. Of course, financial donations are always needed. Most of chapters also accept donations of materials to make blankets.

They intend to use their cards by sending them to their very hardworking volunteer coordinators for Christmas. Project Linus has not been able to do this for a very long time. Also, they send birthday cards to each volunteer on their birthdays.

If you are interested in learning more about Project Linus, and other ways that you can help, you can visit their website at: http://www.projectlinus.org/

Gallery Collection Charitable Donations – Cards for Hospitalized Kids

The Gallery Collection is pleased to announce a donation of 400 Thank You cards and 400 Holiday cards to Cards for Hospitalized Kids. Cards for Hospitalized Kids (CFHK) is an internationally recognized charitable organization that spreads hope and joy through uplifting, handmade cards sent to kids that are hospitalized and/or seriously ill.

Holiday Cards

Individuals and groups donate time and creativity to make handmade cards and send them to CFHK for distribution in hospitals and Ronald McDonald Houses across the nation. Over 40,000 kids in hospitals in all 50 states have received cards from CFHK.

Cards for Hospitalized Kids will be using the greeting cards donated by The Gallery Collection as thanks and holiday greetings to all of their supporters for helping with such a wonderful cause.

For more information about Cards for Hospitalized Kids, and how you can help, please visit their website at http://www.cardsforhospitalizedkids.com/.

Operation Gratitude Q&A – One Millionth Care Package Event

The Gallery Collection recently made a 7,500 greeting card donation to Operation Gratitude for their 1 Millionth Care Package Celebration. Carolyn Blashek, the Founder and CEO of Operation Gratitude, was kind enough to provide us with some information about both Operation Gratitude and the upcoming One Millionth Care-Package Event. Read on below to learn more about what the organization does, and how it benefits the members of the military community.

What is Operation Gratitude?
- Operation Gratitude is a volunteer-based organization that annually sends 100,000+ care packages & letters of support to individual Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen & Marines deployed in harm’s way & on ships at sea, to their children left behind, and to Wounded Warriors, Care Givers, Veterans, Military Families and First Responders.
How did Operation Gratitude get started?
- In March 2003, Founder Carolyn Blashek met with a soldier who broke down at her desk after letting her know that he was going back on deployment and due to some of the personal issues he was experiencing at the time, he did not care if he made it back. It was then that Carolyn realized that troops need to believe that someone at home cares about them as an individual and Operation Gratitude was officially born.
What is the Operation Gratitude One Millionth Care Package Event?
- On December 7^th, 2013, Operation Gratitude will assemble and celebrate their One Millionth Care Package, which is something that no other organization has accomplished.
When is the Operation Gratitude One Millionth Care package Event?
- December 7^th, 2013
How will the cards The Gallery Collection donated be used during the One Millionth Care Package Event?
- The 5,000 Thank you for Attending Cards will be distributed to everyone who attends the event as a token of appreciation for their attendance and help. There will also be another 2,500 Thank you for Your Service cards that will be used by attendees for signing and writing notes that will then be placed in the care packages that will be sent out. Get a closer look at the two sets of cards The Gallery Collection donated here.
What are some of the things that will be happening during the One Millionth Care Package Event?
- Assembly of the “One Millionth” & “One Millionth & One” Packages
- Santa Claus Photo Ops and Giveaways
- Entertainment and Celebrity Surprises
- Games & Activities for Kids; Raffle and Door Prizes
What kind of donations does Operation Gratitude Accept?
- Operation Gratitude accepts all kinds of items including things like DVDs, CDs, gift cards, toothpaste, deodorant and much much more. A complete list of wish items can be found at the below link:
How many items are included in each care package?
- Each care package contains 50 or more donated snack, entertainment and personal care items.
Where does the assembly of the actual care packages take place?
- Operation Gratitude conducts its Assembly Drives in the National Guard Armory in Van Nuys, California where more than 15,000 local volunteers participate on-site and 250,000 volunteer hours are served per year.
Where can people go to find out more information about Operation Gratitude?
- More information about Operation Gratitude can be found below:
- Information about the Millionth Care-Package event can be found below:

The Gallery Collection Donates 7,500 Cards to the Operation Gratitude 1 Millionth Care Package Celebration

The Gallery Collection has a long history of working with Operation Gratitude. So we were thrilled to donate 7,500 cards to the Operation Gratitude 1 Millionth Care Package Celebration occurring on December 7th, 2013. We’ve created 5,000 specially designed cards to thank everyone attending the celebration for their support of Operation Gratitude over the years.

Thank You for Attending Card

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We’ve also created 2,500 specially designed cards to be signed and sent in even more care packages to service men and women stationed overseas.

Thank You for Your Service Card

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Operation Gratitude seeks to lift morale in the military community by sending care packages addressed to individual Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines deployed overseas, to their children left behind, and to Veterans, First Responders, Wounded Warriors and their care givers. Operation Gratitude care packages contain food, hygiene products, entertainment and handmade items, plus personal letters of appreciation, all wrapped with good wishes of love and support.

The 1 Millionth Care Package Celebration is the culmination of a decade of hard work and dedication. To send so many card packages was no small feat, and this feat could not have been accomplished without the donations and volunteer efforts of so many people. This celebration marks not only the shipment of the 1 millionth care package; it is a celebration of everyone who made this moment possible.

If you’d like more information on the Operation Gratitude 1 Millionth Care Package Event, or if you’d like to help out in some way, please go to the Operation Gratitude website: http://opgrat.wordpress.com/2013/02/26/save-the-date-one-million-care-packages-and-counting/.

Gallery Collection Charitable Donations – Camp Quality USA

The Gallery Collection is pleased to announce a donation of 900 birthday cards and 1000 Thank You cards to Camp Quality USA. Camp Quality serves children with cancer and their families by providing year-round programs, experiences, and companionship at no cost. Camp Quality promotes hope and inspiration while helping children foster life skills and develop their full potential.

Camp Quality USA has existed in the United States for nearly 30 years. Originating in Australia, Camp Quality got its name when a doctor commented that while we can’t impact the quantity of someone’s life, everyone can improve the quality of another person’s life. With a week long residential camp for children with cancer as its hallmark annual event, Camp Quality grew into an organization that spread to several countries. From a single week of camp for 43 children in Northwest Missouri 28 years ago, Camp Quality USA now serves 900 children each summer at 16 camp locations in 12 states, and provides year round events for those children and more, as well as their families.

The greeting card donation provided by The Gallery Collection has been shared with Camp Quality USA local organizations for their use in sending birthday cards to campers and thank you cards to volunteers.

For more information about Camp Quality USA, and how you can help, please visit their website at www.campqualityusa.org.

Gallery Collection Charitable Donations – Canines for Disabled Kids

The Gallery Collection is proud to announce a 4,000 holiday card donation to Canines for Disabled Kids. CDK is an education/advocacy group that educates the public about assistance dogs, and assists families in determining if a service dog is the right tool for their child.

CDK helps families select the best training program to serve their child’s needs, as well as assist with the application process. Canines for Disabled Kids also provide scholarships to offset the cost of dogs for children 18 and under, as well as advocacy work for all working service dog teams. They are often seen in schools or at civic groups educating interested parties about service dogs, how they are trained, and the multitude of ways they can help mitigate disabilities.

As a non-fee for service program that works nationwide, the 4,000 holiday card donation from The Gallery Collection will allow Canines for Disabled Kids to send warm holiday greetings and thanks to all of their supporters.

If you are interested in learning more about Canines for Disabled Kids, and other ways that you can help, you can visit their website at: http://caninesforkids.org/

Gallery Collection Charitable Donations – Hannah & Friends

As part of The Gallery Collection’s charitable donation program, we recently donated 200 Thank You cards to Hannah & Friends. The mission of Hannah & Friends is to improve the quality of life for children and adults with special needs.

Maura and Charlie Weis founded Hannah & Friends in 2003, in honor of their daughter Hannah. They provide assistance and support through residential homes, day programs, summer camps, and Hannah’s Helping Hand Grants.

Hannah’s Helping Hands funds quality of life grants for Kansas, Kansas City Metropolitan area, Florida, Indiana, including the greater Michiana area, New York, and Rhode Island families that care for children and adults with special needs. The grants provide low and moderate-income families with stipends that may be used for a wide variety of supports related to their family member.

Hannah & Friends will be using their Thank You cards from The Gallery Collection to thank supporters, donors and volunteers. If you’d like more information on how you can help, visit www.hannahandfriends.org.