NBC Connecticut, Comcast and Telemundo are partnering with Boxes to Boots. They’re getting ready to send care packages to service members overseas.
In Berlin, dozens of volunteers are taking donated supplies and getting them ready to be sent overseas at Operation Cares 2024.
What may seem like a small act of kindness can make a big impact.
"Anything that comes from home is a welcome surprise,” Michael Koff, of Cheshire, said.
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He’s a veteran who served in the U.S. Army Infantry for 25 years. He's helping the Boxes to Boots crew on Veteran’s Day, saying it would have been nice to receive a care package like this when he was deployed.
"I can just reflect on what it would be like receiving one of these boxes when you're deployed,” Koff said.
"It’s our job as a community to put these packages together and make sure our troops know they’re still supported and remembered and loved by us at home,” Kristen Gauvin, the president of Boxes to Boots, said.
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The team is getting ready for Operation Cares 2024, where Gauvin said they expect 700 volunteers to help out.
She said they're expecting a record number of 1,600 boxes to be sent this year, and there’s still a waiting list of recipients.
The boxes have it all.
"Popcorn and theater-sized candy, socks, t-shirts, breakfast items and some good coffee,” Gauvin said.
Community support has only grown, too. This year, 11 Xfinity stores accepted donations, with those supplies in the mix for Monday's packing.
"We've seen a continued uptick in the amount of donations and we’ve been able to have that impact,” Daniel Glanville, of Comcast, said.
Operation Cares 2024 is happening on Saturday at New Britain High School.
