Fort Detrick
Operation Happy Holidays (OHH)
Community Support Center
Bldg. 1520, Freedman Drive
Phone: 301-619-3456/3455
E-mail: USAGFRP@amedd.army.mil
Hours: 0800-1630
FAX: 301-619-6288
Purpose
To assist Families in our military community exhibiting a valid financial need by supplementing their holiday season with food, clothing, and gifts provided by unit, organization, and individual sponsors.
Focus
Valid qualified applicants, Family privacy and integrity, distribution fairness and equity, and positive program perception.
Eligibility
The OHH program eligibility is limited to Fort Detrick U.S. Army Garrison (USAG) and Mission Partner military personnel, E-6 and below, reviewed, approved, and submitted through their immediate military chain of command. Local military Families not assigned to Fort Detrick will also be eligible to apply and qualify directly through the ACS Center. Except for food items, OHH assistance in the form of clothing and gifts will be limited to children only, up to high school seniors. Civilians and contractors will be referred to external agencies and organizations providing similar programs for support.
The OHH program is designed to assist only those military Families with a valid need. If the Commander feels that it is necessary, the applicant may be referred to an ACS Financial Readiness Program counselor for a financial evaluation prior to making the decision to approve or disapprove the OHH request.
Dates and Deadlines
The OHH Nomination Forms will be accepted by the ACS Center from 1 October through 16 November. No applications will be accepted after that date. The drop-off and pick-up dates will be scheduled during the third week in December unless notified otherwise. Sponsors will have from 18 November until the scheduled drop-off date to collect items for their Families. If the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) is active during that period, OHH sponsors on-post will not be allowed to solicit donations. Sponsors will be notified of a potential CFC conflict and should plan their solicitation for donations accordingly.
Nomination Forms
USAG and Mission Partner Commanders
OHH Nomination Aplication [PDF]
OHH nomination forms will be solicited, and submitted by USAG and Mission Partner Commanders for their specific military personnel. A special OHH Nomination Form will include a recommendation and signature block for Commanders to ensure they have reviewed, verified, and approved the request for OHH assistance. A Criteria Sheet may be provided to Commanders as a guide for evaluating applicants. Commanders will forward completed and approved requests to the ACS Center within the designated time frame.
Sponsorship
USAG and Mission Partner Commanders will be responsible for soliciting donations for all approved OHH Families within their particular unit. Support and donations from other external sponsors, such as civilian organizations, agencies, or individuals, will be used to assist non-assigned military Families and also supplement unit Families if additional funds are available. External sponsors may coordinate with unit sponsors, as necessary, for purchasing clothing and gift items for specific Families. In an effort to provide distribution fairness and equity to all qualified Families, all sponsors are expected to adhere to the following guidelines:
- Grocery or commissary gift certificates will be used for all Families in lieu of actual food items. As a general rule to follow, the actual amount of certificates should be based upon no more than $25.00 per person times the number of total Family members. The basic idea is to provide enough certificates for a traditional holiday Family dinner. Actual food items will not be accepted for OHH Families.
- The amount of donations used for clothing and gift items should be based upon a minimum of $75.00 and a maximum of $100.00 per child.
- Gift certificates for requested clothing items are strongly recommended due to the potential problems with style or sizes. If clothing is actually purchased, receipts are required to be attached in an envelope for potential exchanges by the Family.
- Gift certificates may also be used for requested gift items but because many sponsors like to actually shop for their Families, this is just an option. No major new or used electronic items will be accepted for OHH Families, such as X-Boxes, PC monitors, etc.
Scheduled Sponsor Meetings — Meetings for OHH sponsors and volunteers will usually be scheduled every two weeks beginning the first week in October through the end of November to inform and prepare sponsors and to distribute OHH Family information as received. Look for specific dates and locations as we get closer to the event!
Drop-Off and Pick-Up
Drop-off and pick-up of OHH Family items will be scheduled for 1 or 2 days during the third week of December unless notified otherwise. The location will be the H.O.T. Dome, 835 Gardner Street. Sponsors will deliver their Family packages between 0700-1100 and military personnel will be solicited to assist with this process. Families will be scheduled in 10 minute increments, for privacy purposes, to come by and pick up their items thereafter until all Family items are distributed. A curtain or cover of some sort will be installed in the H.O.T. Dome to conceal all Family items from individual Families arriving to pick up their packages. Only ACS civilian staff and volunteers will assist the Families during the pick-up period to ensure privacy.
