Tampa Photography Blog

*I'm posting my Thankful Thursday entry today since it’s Memorial Day and this may be something our military families need right now.*

I have a dear friend who is a military wife whose husband is a Major in the Unites States Air Force and they have a six-year-old daughter. I love them all dearly and have always wanted to do something to show them I care.

Then I met Executive Director Lisa Berg from Operation Hug-A-Hero.

You might think this organization is like any another non-profit looking for donations but to me and so many military families, they are much, much more. They offer peace of mind, love and companionship to those children who are left behind when moms and dads are deployed.

Through Hug-A-Hero, anyone can order a “Daddy Doll” or donate $25, the total cost of the doll. I decided to collaborate with my friend’s husband so we got a photo of him to print on the front, a personalized message on the bottom and for just a few extra bucks, we got a voice recorder for inside the doll so his daughter could hear his voice once he deployed to Afghanistan.

He gave her the doll right before he shipped out and I’m told she didn’t say much at first. She just hugged the doll and played the prayer over and over again. Now I'm told she won't sleep without it and she took it with her on vacations and sleepovers.

Lisa Berg honestly gives her heart and soul to her family and the military. For this, I admire her a great deal. She manages to juggle a family, being a military wife AND running Operation Hug-A-Hero. She does everything to honor and recognize our military and I have the upmost respect for her.

If you’d like to help, you can donate money (of course), buy a doll for a family in need (the military families receive dolls free of charge) or ask someone at your company if they’d like to sponsor the organization. They have many more requests for dolls than they do donations so if you’ve always wanted to show your support and didn’t know how, this is an easy, inexpensive way to do it!

Help give a little homeland security...
www.operationhugahero.org

“We have been able to give out almost 800 dolls in the last year.   While this may sound like many for such a small non-profit organization, we are not able to currently keep up with demand.  Most recently we have been putting families onto a waiting list while we push hard for donations and sponsorship.  We would love to hear about any companies that are interested in becoming a Corporate Sponsor for our organization.  One of our visions is to partner with defense-affiliated companies that provide materials, technology, etc. for our troops to accomplish their mission. Allowing these industries to come full circle and provide comfort for the Little Heroes left behind shows their commitment and support for our military beyond providing the important tools; we are an excellent opportunity for them to express that support.”  –Lisa Berg