Operation Shower

I am a staff psychologist for a VA Medical Center & a clinical assistant professor at a medical school. Both of my grandfathers, my father, my brother, several uncles & many dear friends have served in our armed forces. Thus, organizations that support our military & military families are especially close to my heart. Operation Shower is one of my favorite charities. I have donated both money & time to this amazing organization. In January of 2011, I was fortunate to volunteer at one of their showers in San Diego. It was an honor to share in such a special day for so many expectant mothers whose partners were deployed. Operation Shower brings such happiness & joy to our military families, and helps them to realize the support they have from so many Americans. Please help them to continue their mission. In peace, Peggy Hudson, Ph.D.

Operation Shower is such an remarkable and generous organization. I had the great pleasure of being a volunteer at their shower in St. Louis and it was such a wonderful experience. It was so awesome to be a part of honoring these amazing moms and I can't think of a better cause. LeAnn, Amy and Lia do such a fantastic job organizing the events and making sure every last detail is perfect. The moms were so grateful for the generous gifts and I hope that the experience showed them how much appreciation, love and respect everyone has for them. Keep up the amazing work Operation Shower!

Not only did this organization honor a much ignored group of people who serve our country in relative silence, they helped strength those same people by bring those in difficult situations together to meet and support each other. The bonds these women make at this event last much longer than the event. These bonds and connections are very important to young mothers in new areas where they feel quite alone while worrying about their loved ones out serving our country, many in harms way. As a young military spouse myself I often felt alone and misunderstood. My family who lived far away thought my life was full of military parties and excitement. They never understood the thankless job I, and all military spouses, did while dealing with newborns and your own illnesses and other issues. This organization really lets these women know how much they are appreciated and their sacrifices are not going unnoticed. Does a lot for the morale and well being of not only the military families but our troops as well. The less our troops worry about at home the better they can do their job and the more they can focus on doing it safely so all can come home safely.

I have volunteered at two Operation Shower events and collected product for both of them. Setup is a lot of work but fun. The shower days are amazing - it is fun to watch the Moms as they socialize and open their gifts. It's a great way to give back to military families.

My daughter and I had the chance to be volunteers at the shower that was held at Fort Drum Army Base in July 2013. This was the first time I had heard about Operation Shower. My daughter liked their Facebook page and found out they were coming to Northern NY. We had a blast helping set up the shower and then volunteering during the shower. They do an amazing job. What a great idea LeAnn has come up with. I love all the different themes that they have for all the different showers. I have donated crochet and knit baby hats for the shower in a box and will continue to do so. We had such fun watching the reactions for the moms during the shower. The Mom's were so thankful for what LeAnne, Amy and Lia do for them. I recommend this organization to everyone I know.

If there were more than 5 stars I could give, I would give them 38 stars representing the 38 unit-wide showers they have held as of September 2013. They have greatly touched thousands of hearts and have made an impact to so many. Most would probably not have thought to pay attention to a pregnant military wife whose husband is deployed because many would think it came with the territory being married to a service member. It's been done before and it's nothing special right? OH but it is and Operation Shower took it above and beyond to recognize that it is special and they knew how stressful that can be to the one left behind. Not only with the added stress of being pregnant and to top it off your husband is not even in the same continent as you. They showered us with generosity, recognized us, thanked us, gifted us, honored us, and appreciated us. It has been 2 years since I was honored at one of their showers and came back a year later as a guest and it is just NOW that I am actually able to talk to people about operation shower without getting emotional! It may have been the pregnancy hormones or what I have already been through with my high risk pregnancy and delivery, but probably mostly due to how operation shower and their team made me feel that day and yes hormones! =) When I would talk about them, I relive that moment.

It's like what Maya Angelou says “I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel" BUT for me I will never forget what they did because of how they made me feel! I am a supporter for life.

I've never experienced anything like it in my life! To give in the way they do just blows my mind, I was gifted party supplies for my daughters 1st birthday,which will be tomorrow. Operation shower is awesome. Besides everything that was given I won a bed set for my daughter, before I went I didn't know how I was going to afford a bed set for her. Operation shower blessed us tremendously & I am very thankful for them.

I don't know where to begin. Operation shower is the most amazing organization I think I have ever come into contact with! They treated us like VIPs! The shower was BEAUTIFUL, wonderfully catered, and decorated. The gifts were out of this world! I could not believe the generosity that was shown. These people do so much for military families! I am so very thankful that I had the opportunity to attend!

This is a wonderful organization that not only honors military families but truly cares for them. I am so impressed by the thought and love given for every single shower and am happy to be a donor. I actually have 2 young children and have purchased products from the companies that regularly donate to the showers since I know how much they support them!

Operation Shower is a little slice of heaven. From the moment I first learned about their organization a number of years ago, I have been stunned by their committment to the families who serve our country. They have found a way to say thank you, we love you, we support you and we are honored to help in whatever way we can - all in one.

They throw the most magical baby showers for women who might not otherwise have that experience. I have been privileged to host two of their events - one at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina and one at Scott Air Force Base in Illinois. On both occasions, I was fully aware I was surrounded by something extraordinary. The moms-to-be are beautifully overwhelmed by how spoiled they are, by the joy in the room, and by the generosity of the many, many people and brands who come together to donate, making each event a spectacular success.

It is hard to hold back the tears as you look around the room - sitting and chatting with these new moms and moms-to-be - knowing that they are experiencing motherhood in a way unknown to so many of us - alone - possibly away from family, waiting on the return of their spouses and hoping for his safe return.

Operation Shower aims to ease the burden of deployment - and I believe in my heart - based on what I have seen....that it does and in such a lovely way.

Operation Shower was started with heart in LeAnn Morrissey's basement and continues today with that same heart..... the added bonus is the number of other people (including her husband and 11 year old son) and volunteers who have added their love and hearts to the mix.

I was blessed to be invited to the March Operation Shower a week before my baby was due. The generosity of this organization is unmeasurable. If it weren't for this organization we would not have had a crib. We got so much love and attention from the staff and other volunteers, you would have thought we knew each other for years. This organization is heaven sent for military families. One day I hope to give back to the organization as much as they gavel family and I.

This past spring my husband and I were invited to attend a baby shower. Honestly we had never heard of the organization and my husband didn't want to go. I dragged him along with me anyways. As the shower went on we kept getting suprise after suprise. We were so greatful for all the gifts and upon leaving we sat in the car speechless. Our little boy is due in 4 weeks and we can't wait to use all the gifts. My husband is now deployed and we so appreciate that he was able to be a part of the baby shower.

I was invited to attend an August "Operation Shower" baby shower and found this to be one of the most humbling and touching events I have ever attended. Having a child while your spouse is deployed is physically and emotionally stressful and this program truly touched my heart. It provided me with may things that I could not currently afford as well as provided a day of stress-free activities and allowed me to enjoy my pregnancy and share the joy of other expecting mothers also. This program Is amazing and while I could never repay the kindness I was shown I can only express my gratitude and say thank you to them and hope that they know I mean that with all of my heart.

I had the honor of volunteering with Amy & Leanne at a shower in Norfolk, VA in the fall of 2011. The team work, the organization of donations being delivered, food, cakes and the decorating, I absolutely felt like those mama-to-be were going to feel like they were on the red carpet. Not only was there countless hours put into prep for the shower but I was astounded by the amount of love shown to these women who may otherwise not receive beautiful gifts let alone a baby shower to ohh and ahh over her new bundle of joy!
Hats off to the founder Leanne and her shower team that comes together several times a year to reach out to military mamas, God bless & thank you for your willingness to give amazing blessings!

I absolutely LOVE this organization. I have been volunteering for almost three years now and try to be part of any shower that comes my way. I started by donating sweets and have had the pleasure of designing and executing several dessert stations since then. These are my favorite events to do as I feel everything is appreciated and my time is well spent. They always have THE best themes and party professionals involved as well. It definitely gives me something to look forward to.

Operation Shower goes above and beyond to make these events extraordinary. They not only provide amazing necessities for new families, but love, support and encouragement as well. I am always moved to tears when the moms are surprised with their gifts and the outpouring of support. They are filling a great need in our country and I hope more and more people are given the opportunity to experience their events. The level of professionalism, organization and excitement is unmatched. I've also enjoyed meeting other people in various professional industries and have built lifetime friendships through Operation Shower.

I had the honor of attending the shower in October at SAFB. It was beyond anything I could have ever imagined. Being the spouse of a deployed airman who unfortunately won't be home for the birth of our second child, it meant more than words could ever explain to have such an organization fill that void in your heart. I love every aspect of the things they do and would never trade it for the world. To see such good in the world still gives one hope. My husband was so very thankful of the fact that during such hard times that I still had something wonderful to look forward to. Thank you so very much!

I am an active duty member of the US Air Force. I got the opportunity to participate in "Operation Shower" in October 2013, while 8 months pregnant. My husband, also active duty Air Force, is leaving for six months of training just a few weeks after our first child is born. We have been through many deployments and separations in the past, but none with children, let alone a brand new baby. Needless to say this has been a joyful but stressful period in our life. Operation Shower gave my husband and I a day of fun in the midst of all this. We truly felt like we were on "Oprah's favorite things"! Every five minutes volunteers came out with dozens of baby gifts for us (items we were still in much need of). I felt like my best friend was throwing me my shower. The whole room was decorated, there were gifts galore, food, activities, and the chance to socialize with other moms in the same situation. I could not believe that a group of people cared so much that they would organize something like this to show their appreciation for what military families go through. I have been in the Air Force for over 7 years and never have I felt more appreciated than I did during Operation Shower. I am so grateful to this organization for their efforts. It is a day I will never forget.

I was invited to attend one of their showers this past May and it was amazing. I don't think I've ever been in a room so full of love outside of a family get together. What they did for my family was above and beyond. My husband was actually home at the time of the shower and was able to attend with me. We felt like royalty that day. Not a day goes by that I don't use at least one item that was gifted to us. This charity does amazing things for moms to be and deserves every bit of recognition and funding they receive.

I have been lucky enough to be a guest at a shower as well as a volunteer. Both experiences have been amazing and incredibly rewarding. They have been experiences I'll never forgot. I know I'll be volunteering for as long as they'll have me.

One of the best experiences I've ever had! Planning events is my dream job and I enjoyed every second of helping out with Operation Shower's "red, white, and coo." Any day ofevent setup is a dream day for me! And seeing the moms smiles was priceless!

Having loved ones in the military I know how hard it can be while they are away, so giving back when this organization was amazing. I would love to so more for them! They do such an amazing job!

My husband was deployed throughout my pregnancy and I was far away from home and I was alone in a new state during this time and operation shower provided me with amazing gifts and threw a shower above my expectations. They truly are amazing

This nonprofit charity honors our military wives and expectant military women with a baby shower like no other baby shower ever. I was blessed to volunteer at a shower for young women whose husbands were stationed at Fort Hood in Killeen, Texas. It was so exciting to see all these women receive their gifts and meet them and hear some of their stories. I now send gifts to Operation shower as my way of honoring our military. I am thankful for each one who sacrifices to keep our country and my family safe here in America.

I am a military wife and my husband was on deployment when I had my baby. Operation Shower sent me a huge box full of baby gifts, it really cheered me up and helped me get less depressed about my husband's absence. I really appreciate what they did and I think the staff have a heart of god , thank you operation shower :)

I worked with Operation Shower providing public relations and marketing services. With this upstanding organization, my job was made easier with excellent information, follow through and overall enthusiasm for the great work they do. It was a joy to work on publicity materials for such a positive nonprofit who does inspiring work with military families.

If you are lucky, you find that one thing in life that you know you were meant to do. For me, that is Operation Shower. Watching our military families say goodbye or be reunited on television never ceases to make me cry and make me grateful for their service. We often see what happens to our military heroes while they are gone, but what about the families? Operation Shower's goal is to do our part to take care of some of those left behind. Honoring those strong women who go through their pregnancy while their partner is serving overseas is not only a gift we give, but one that we take very seriously and humbly. Whether it is an individual shower in a box to a mom-to-be or a fabulous unit-wide or special baby shower, our singular goal is always the same - make sure these families know how much we appreciate their sacrifice. The bonus? Smiles, tears, hugs, joy, a time to bond with other women in their situation and a lasting memory. THIS is what I was meant to do with my love of throwing a party and events background and I am continuously blessed by Operation Shower.

I received a shower in a box from operation shower. I cant begin to describe the joy and support that I felt. Sometimes being the spouse of a service member can make you feel like you have lost your identity. You move from your friends and family without a second thought. You do this because you believe in the mission of the United States of America, and you believe in your spouse. It was so nice to feel that piece of family and home again. Getting that box was like getting a big hug from all the people who worked so hard to get those gifts for my baby and I. I am so thankful to all of you who made this possible. Thank you Operation Shower not only for the gifts, but for the support that your shower in a box represents while my husband was deployed.

I was lucky enough, and honored to help Operation Shower with their group shower at the Naval Hospital in Portsmouth, Va. As a volunteer, I witnessed the passion of the OS team, as well as the appreciation from the mothers receiving gifts for their babies. The specific needs that Operation Shower supports is unprecedented. So many military mothers-to-be are away from family and friends, and don't get the support in the way of traditional showers, during their pregnancy. Operation Shower helps fill this void both emotionally and physically with their group showers, and "showers-in-a-box."

Operation Shower has touched the lives of many "growing" military families. The thought and caring that goes into each shower is increditable. It is as if they planned the shower for there best friend. The expectent Mom's are so greatful that someone who does not even know them would do this for them. Dad's are thankful that an orginization is doing everything they can to make there ablense during this special time a little more bearable. Thanks for all you Do!

My daughter is married to a marine who deployed to Afghanistan when she was four months pregnant with their first child. Operation Shower recognized the sacrifice of him missing the birth and sent her a shower-in-a-box. We were amazed! It contained everything she could possibly need for the new baby. On Dec 4 2009 she delivered a beautiful baby girl weighing 4 lbs 12 oz. Thank you Operation Shower you were a Godsend.

I have attended many fundraising events for Operation Shower. Also at two of my granddaughter's birthday parties everyone donated books one year and pajamas the next year. I have seen pictures from some of these showers and it is a true blessing what Operation Shower provides to these military families.

It is truly a privilege for me to be a full time volunteer with Operation Shower! Over the past year I have experienced the love and appreciation for each military family that goes into every box that is given. I have attended beautiful showers that honor these moms-to-be in the same special way that family and dear friends would treat them. The large "Shower Boxes" given to these deserving women are filled with exceptional gifts for both the babies and the mothers, as well as support materials and services. I have seen tears of gratitude and received thanks in the form of hugs, personal stories, and letters of hardships and struggles these expectant women often face while away from home - with loved ones living in other states while their husbands are deployed. Soldiers have also sent letters of appreciation expressing how Operation Shower helped to ease their stress in providing what they otherwise could not afford, and how happy they were to hear that their wife was treated to such a spectacular event/surprise in their absence! The good work of Operation Shower is a very powerful blessing in the lives of so many men, women, and children! Through these boxes and showers, military families that sacrifice so much to serve and protect our country can feel the care, love, compassion and gratitude that they are so deserving of!!! The families left behind are just as important as the soldiers deployed - and this WONDERFUL nonprofit recognizes that on a daily basis!

Even though my contribution has been small in comparison to others, I have been made to feel it has really helped this wonderful organization help our military and families.

This is an organization that serves with heart. Operation Shower provides a 'hug' in the form of a baby shower - sometimes in person, sometimes in a box - for women who have spouses serving in the mIlitary. I was blessed enough to have my husband nearby while I was expecting both of my children - I can't imagine being alone. These families are separated by distance - and yet Operation Shower makes sure these moms are well taken care of. A simple look at the pictures from any of the showers lets you know these families are being showered with joy at a time when they truly need it.

I've been honored to work with Operation Shower for the past couple of years. It's an incredible organization that meets a great need -- supporting families who are expecting a baby and have a spouse serving in the military. Operation Shower supports families by giving them much needed baby supplies, and also supports families emotionally by letting the families know that their sacrifice is recognized and appreciated.