Operation Shoebox
Operation Shoebox is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2003 that ships care packages to deployed U.S. service members worldwide from its Belleview, Florida headquarters, operating at 800-1,000 packages weekly with 1,300+ volunteers and two retail thrift/furniture stores funding operations.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2003
- HeadquartersBelleview, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Operation Shoebox does
Operation Shoebox is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization headquartered in Belleview, Florida, that ships care packages containing snacks, toiletries, personal items, entertainment supplies, and handwritten letters to U.S. service members deployed worldwide. Founded in 2003 by military mother Mary Harper after five of her children and a son-in-law were deployed simultaneously, the organization has cumulatively shipped over 2,000,000 care packages and currently operates at a throughput of 800-1,000 packages weekly from its Central Florida hub. Distribution is executed through USPS APO/FPO/DPO channels, and the organization's stated policy is that 100% of monetary donations go directly to package contents and shipping.
The organization's product surface extends beyond the core Care Package Program to include Adopt a Troop (recurring direct-to-service-member shipping), Hero Clubs (organized volunteer fundraising groups), Troops for Teachers (classroom-to-deployment pairing), Pen Pals (volunteer letter correspondence), and structured Collection Drives for items such as candy, toiletries, and craft supplies. Two ancillary retail operations — a Thrift Store and a Furniture Store, both in Belleview, FL — generate earned revenue that funds shipping costs, supplementing individual donations, corporate sponsorships (Sam's Club, TriEagle Sales, Winn Dixie), foundation grants (VFW Foundation), and community fundraisers.
Operationally, the organization runs with a lean staff of 1-10 employees supported by a network of 1,300+ volunteers including retirees, students, church groups, and civic organizations. Recurring Monday volunteer events at Lake Miona Recreation Center in The Villages, FL serve as the primary volunteer engagement pipeline. The organization has also extended support beyond deployed troops through a partnership with Volunteers of America that has furnished 13 rooms for homeless veterans to date, indicating modest program diversification within the broader military-affiliated beneficiary base. No proprietary technology platform underlies operations; the model is logistics- and community-driven rather than software-driven.
Operation Shoebox firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Operation Shoebox
- Legal name
- OPERATION SHOEBOX USA INC.
- Website
- https://operationshoebox.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2003
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Operation Shoebox is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2003 that ships care packages to deployed U.S. service members worldwide from its Belleview, Florida headquarters, operating at 800-1,000 packages weekly with 1,300+ volunteers and two retail thrift/furniture stores funding operations.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Operation Shoebox industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Nonprofit Military Support Services
- akta.pro primary industry
- Gift Basket & Curated Hamper Assembly (HSACANAD)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Donation Pickup & Reuse Hauling (HSAKALAI)
Keywords
Where Operation Shoebox is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Belleview
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
Operation Shoebox business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Thrift Store Sales: Donated goods sold in thrift store generate proceeds for care package funding
- Furniture Store Sales: Donated furniture sold to fund shipping and operations
- Monetary Donations: Direct financial contributions from individuals and organizations to support care package shipping and contents
- Corporate Grants and Donations: Corporate sponsors provide grants and product donations to support operations
- Budweiser Promotional Proceeds: TriEagle Sales donates portion of Budweiser case sales in surrounding counties during November
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | One time | Small care package shipping donation |
| Unit Pricing | One time | Large care package shipping donation |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels5 records
Operation Shoebox product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Operation Shoebox assembles and ships care packages filled with snacks, personal hygiene items, entertainment items, and handwritten thank-you notes to U.S. service members deployed worldwide, sending 800-1,000 packages weekly from its Central Florida headquarters. The organization funds these shipments through monetary donations, corporate sponsorships, foundation grants, and proceeds from two retail stores (a Thrift Store and a Furniture Store) selling donated goods.
Product overview
Operation Shoebox is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that operates as a single unified mission: sending care packages to deployed U.S. service members. The organization runs two revenue-generating retail operations (Thrift Store and Furniture Store) that fund the core Care Package Program. Additional programs include Adopt a Troop, Hero Clubs, Troops for Teachers, and Pen Pals. Founded in 2003 by military mom Mary Harper, the organization ships 800-1,000 packages weekly and has sent over 2 million care packages since inception.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Operation Shoebox Thrift Store: A used furniture and thrift store operated by Operation Shoebox to raise funds for shipping care packages overseas. Located at 8360 East Highway 25, Belleview, FL.
- Operation Shoebox Furniture Store
Products and services
- Care Package Program The primary service of assembling and shipping care packages filled with snacks, personal hygiene items, entertainment items, and handwritten thank-you notes to U.S. service members deployed worldwide via USPS APO/FPO/DPO addresses. The program ships 800-1,000 packages weekly from Central Florida and has sent over 2 million packages since inception.
- Thrift Store A used goods retail store in Belleview, FL selling clothing, accessories, household items, dishes, silverware, and decor donated by the community. Proceeds from sales fund the cost of shipping care packages overseas. Open Tuesday-Friday 10AM-4PM and Saturday 10AM-2PM.
- Furniture Store A used furniture retail store at 5940 SE Hames Road, Belleview, FL selling couches, recliners, dining room tables, bedroom furniture, and household items. Proceeds support care package operations. Open 10AM-12PM.
- Adopt a Troop Program Program allowing individuals or groups to sign up to send monthly care packages directly to deployed service members. Adopters receive specific troop information and ship packages independently to maintain an ongoing relationship with their adopted service member.
Quantifiable outcome
- 2,000,000 care packages shipped since 2003
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Operation Shoebox
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Operation Shoebox technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Operation Shoebox partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Winn DixieminorCommunity Bag Program fundraiser where $1 from each reusable bag sold during June is donated to Operation Shoebox.
- TriEagle SalescoreLong-time supporter providing monetary donations, including $2,000 donation and van donation for operations. Pledges portion of Budweiser case sales each October in surrounding counties to Operation Shoebox. Employees volunteer on Veterans Day.
- Sam's ClubcoreCorporate sponsor with employees volunteering time to collect items for care packages. Sam's Club members have donated items to support troops.
- Girl Scouts (Greater Atlanta area)minorYouth organization volunteer support for care package initiatives.
- Volunteers of AmericacorePartnership to support homeless veterans. Operation Shoebox helped furnish 13 rooms for homeless veterans through this partnership.
- Vets Helping VetsminorPartnership to provide food assistance to veterans.
- Clermont Pediatric Dentistry GroupminorMajor candy collection after Halloween to support care packages.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Operation Shoebox competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- USO: Large, established nonprofit delivering support, entertainment, and care packages to U.S. service members worldwide; overlaps with Operation Shoebox's mission but operates a much broader portfolio including centers, programming, and transition services.
- Fisher House Foundation: Established nonprofit providing free lodging to military and veteran families near treatment facilities; serves a different primary need but shares the U.S. military family supporter audience and large-scale nonprofit infrastructure.
- Wounded Warrior Project: Large veteran-focused nonprofit providing a wide range of programs (mental health, career, physical wellness); overlaps with Operation Shoebox's veteran-support activities (e.g., homeless veteran room furnishing) but at much greater scale and scope.
- Gary Sinise Foundation: Major nonprofit supporting service members, veterans, first responders, and their families through entertainment, housing, and wellness programs; comparable donor base and military-support mission.
Direct peers
- Blue Star Families: Nonprofit supporting military-connected families through community programming and research; comparable grassroots donor base and mission alignment with deployed and returning military families.
- Soldiers' Angels: National 501(c)(3) that supports deployed U.S. service members, veterans, and their families through care packages, letters, and adoption programs—directly comparable mission and operating model to Operation Shoebox.
- Cell Phones for Soldiers: 501(c)(3) that funds communication services and care packages for deployed troops and veterans; comparable grassroots nonprofit model and similar deployed-troop beneficiary base.
- Hope For The Warriors: National nonprofit assisting post-9/11 service members, veterans, and military families with clinical, educational, and transition programs; shares the Operation Shoebox veteran-support extension beyond deployed troops.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Operation Shoebox social profiles
Digital presenceOperation Shoebox financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Operation Shoebox leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Operation Shoebox funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Operation Shoebox M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Operation Shoebox
What does Operation Shoebox do?
Operation Shoebox assembles and ships care packages filled with snacks, personal hygiene items, entertainment items, and handwritten thank-you notes to U.S. service members deployed worldwide, sending 800-1,000 packages weekly from its Central Florida headquarters. The organization funds these shipments through monetary donations, corporate sponsorships, foundation grants, and proceeds from two retail stores (a Thrift Store and a Furniture Store) selling donated goods.
Is Operation Shoebox a public or private company?
Operation Shoebox is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Operation Shoebox founded?
Operation Shoebox was founded in 2003. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Operation Shoebox based?
Operation Shoebox is headquartered in Belleview, United States, in the North America region.
How does Operation Shoebox make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Thrift Store Sales are the primary driver. The others are furniture Store Sales, monetary Donations, corporate Grants and Donations and budweiser Promotional Proceeds.
Who are Operation Shoebox's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are USO, Fisher House Foundation, Wounded Warrior Project and Gary Sinise Foundation. Direct peers are Blue Star Families, Soldiers' Angels, Cell Phones for Soldiers and Hope For The Warriors.
Does Operation Shoebox have an API?
No public API is recorded for Operation Shoebox.
What industry is Operation Shoebox in?
Operation Shoebox's product category is Nonprofit Military Support Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HSACANAD, Gift Basket & Curated Hamper Assembly, with a secondary code of HSAKALAI, Donation Pickup & Reuse Hauling.