Yamaha Helps Operation Gratitude Provide Its 2 million Care Package to Service Members and First Responders

On December 9, Yamaha Corporation of America was on hand at Operation Gratitude’s Chatsworth, California, headquarters as the organization reached a major milestone in its mission to support U.S. Military service members and first responders by assembling its 2 millionth care package. Continuing a long tradition of working with American military musicians, Yamaha was invited to donate Operation Gratitude’s 1,999,999th care package, which included a Yamaha YAS-706 sound bar and WX-010 wireless speaker.

“We are proud of Yamaha and their commitment to our military,” said Chris Clark, vice president and chief development officer, Operation Gratitude. “The company’s donation as part of Operation Gratitude’s 1,999,999th Care Package to a Marine Lance Corporal was a generous gift to a deserving hero.”

The opportunity to work with Operation Gratitude was especially valuable to members of the Yamaha team, many of whom feel a deep connection with service members and first responders. “My brother Jeffrey is a director at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, so I know the challenges faced by the heroic men and women serving our country,” said David Jewell, marketing communications manager, Yamaha Corporation of America. “We’re proud to work with Operation Gratitude because it has an impeccable record of getting donations directly to service members and their families. From a company standpoint—and from a personal standpoint as well—its essential that our contributions actually make a difference to those who sacrifice so much for our country.”

That importance of Operation Gratitude’s mission resonated especially strongly with Yamaha Customer Experience Group account manager Tristin Riess, who represented the company at the event. “This organization is very near and dear to my heart,” said Reiss, who helped assemble care packages as the Operation Gratitude’s donations reached and passed the 2 million mark. “My older brother is in the military, and my family and I know how difficult it can be when a loved one is deployed. Often, our service members are overseas without the simplest of things. Operation Gratitude makes sure they’re taken care of—and lets them know that they are truly cared about back home.”