The Marine Corps Family Foundation mission is one of commitment, collaboration and communication to encourage and support our United States Marines and their families through the administration of special projects, coordinating volunteers & donations, and networking with supportive organizations and agencies.

About us

The Marine Corps Family Foundation was created in 2004 when Operation Santa USMC grew from a small local outreach to a national project. Volunteers and contributors from all over the country came forward to support deployed Marines in Iraq and Afghanistan. In three months the Operation Santa project successfully sent Christmas stockings and gifts to over 6,000 US Marines who spent the holidays away from family and friends.

It quickly became evident that the Marine Corps Family was a firm foundation of strength and commitment for the Marines and their families who give so much to protect our country. People asked for additional ways to help and to show their support to our Marines. In answer, the Marine Corps Family Foundation was established to coordinate projects, to collaborate with volunteers and supporters, and to communicate ways to show our dedication and support of our deployed troops.

Since then, the Marine Corps Family Foundation has established itself as a charitable organization with demonstrated success in the coordination of events and projects. The Backpacks for Iraq project in 2003 was an avenue for Marine moms to find and create a way to deal with the daily struggle to find peace and strength while their sons and daughters were fighting for the freedom of Iraq. Through fundraising and resourceful shopping more than 800 filled backpacks were shipped to Najaf, Iraq and distributed to Iraqi children who attended the Marine Legacy Schools that our troops had refurbished..

Our first project launched a steady stream of supportive rallies, fundraising to fulfill requests made by Marine units, and special projects, like Operation Santa-USMC, Operation Never Forgotten, Operation Winter Warmer, and Operation Marine Corps Kids - all in an effort to show tangible support for our deployed Marines and their families here at home.

Today the list of projects and organizations that are supported by the Marine Corps Family Foundation is growing. We invite you to get involved, to share your ideas and to become part of our Marine Corps family.

Semper Fi

Deb Conrad (541) 974-6948

Connie Riecke (503)409-5905

Martin Luther King Day letter from Connie:

I have been sitting here at my computer since before dawn, on my "holiday", trying to put together a newsletter about the success of our holiday project to support the troops, Operation Santa USMC.  I started out with dialogue much like Dr. Martin Luther King's famous and profound "I have a Dream...." speech.  Needless to say my version is neither earth shattering or will have the notoriety of Mr King's speech or vision.  But, as I stumble around the many emails from volunteers and the words from commanders that expressed their gratitude for all the holiday boxes they received I realized how visionary one idea can be.  Operation Santa USMC all began as a basic idea, send Christmas to a son who would be away from home for the first time during this special holiday.  From there the idea grew to a Dream to send to an entire platoon, to a company, to a battalion, and it grew from there.  It's amazing the ideas that flow between two "sister" Marine moms and the sharing of a glass of wine, or was that a bottle?????   

What came from that moment in time was a dream, a vision.  What happened is the Miracle.  In September 2004 the dream of Operation Santa USMC hit the internet waves, sharing the plan to send holiday packages to deployed Marines.  Internet savy elves recognized the possibilities, shared the dream with their communities across the nation and before we new what happened there were 6,000 holiday packages shipped to our sons and daughters in Iraq and Afghanistan.  And the dream got bigger.  

During this holiday season 2005 12,000 Marines, Sailors, and Soldiers received packages.  Three Marine battalions were sent a holiday pancake breakfast which included the family size griddles to cook the pancakes.  Yes, that's about 3,300 pancake filled, battle worn US Marines out in who knows where, who know they are loved and appreciated.  All because someone had a dream.  

This holiday season Operation Santa USMC elves from all over our wonderful free country worked hard to send holiday packages to 17,000 Marines, Sailors and Soldiers.  And, on Christmas Eve 450 special holiday packages were hand delivered to the Walter Reed and Bethesday Hospitals for our wounded soldiers by a special group of elves led by Coordinator, Carrie Constantini.  And, the dream became reality.  

Conducting the business affairs of the Marine Corps Family Foundation is my night and weekend job.  It sometimes comes before my friends, my job and my family.  It creates messes in my office, in my living room, and many times it seeps into the kitchen.  My car has become the Operation Santa mobile.  My teenage daughter insists that I take time away from my laptop, she even makes me leave it at home on shopping sprees.  She also insists that I not answer my cell phone when helping her with homework projects.  My garage is filled with red and yellow tubs full of MCFF and Operation Santa "stuff", my purse is the size of a briefcase just in case I need a project handout or USMC sticker to give to a potential volunteer or contributor while standing in the grocery line at my local supermarket.  It's a passion, it's a dream.  

Today we celebrate the dream and vision of one Man who through the passion of his life created the opporunities that have led to the Miracle of change.  A country has changed and it continues to move forward in an effort to create the dream of Dr. Martin Luther King.  I have realized that with a simple idea, vision or dream together we can all make Miracles happen.    So, for all you Miracle workers out there, look out - the Marine Corps Family Foundation has a dream......

Updated September 15, 2007