Telegraph photo by ADAM URQUHART U.S. Sen. Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., on Friday packages stockings she helped put together during a packaging event with Operation Care For Troops, while Ted and Deborah Luszey watch.

NASHUA – U.S. Sen. Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., turned her attention toward the nation’s troops Friday afternoon by assisting Operation Care For Troops by packing stockings.

“I just wanted to come by to show my support for our troops, first and foremost, but also for the volunteers and all the people who make this operation the success it is,” Hassan said.

Thaddeus “Ted” Luszey Jr. is the founder and president of the nonprofit, which began while his son was deployed to Iraq in 2003. At that time, he and his wife, Deborah – who is the organization’s secretary – began sending packages overseas. The couple had a friend with a brother serving in Afghanistan at that time, to whom they were sending items.

One day, while the two friends were enjoying lunch together, they got to talking. Ted’s son was on his way home at that point, while his friends brother was still serving, and Ted offered to assist in sending supplies overseas to him. He said that is how the whole operation began.

“To get something from a family member is kind of expected, right. But, when you get a box from somebody you don’t know and they realize that we are still thinking of them over there, it really picks them up,” Ted said.

The organization has shipped items to people from every state in the union, serving in every branch of the military. Since its inception, the family’s initiative blossomed into a nonprofit. Through the years, operations have evolved, while organizers have expanded the mission to helping those who have returned to the U.S. from abroad.

By working with the New Hampshire VASH (Department of Veterans Affairs Supported Housing Program) OCT also assists with supplying holiday stockings for the children of service families who are transitioning or displaced veterans. These holiday stockings for local veterans are provided to veterans’ homes and their homeless veteran programs in the Greater Manchester and Greater Nashua areas. Moreover, in terms of the care packages, nearly 110,000 have been shipped through the years as of August.

“I look at the numbers and I can’t believe we’ve done this and then I always think that… hoping we have the funds to make the next packing,” Deborah said.

The cost to ship these packages overseas is $20 per box.

Ted said it will cost thousands to ship all of the packages created during this current four-day event, “Holiday Packing for the Troops,” at Nashua National Guard, which concludes today. People can help support their shipping costs, and the nonprofit itself online at their website, http://www.octnh.org/. Additionally, Ted said that over the years, the nonprofit has spent more than $1 million on postage to ship these goods.

“We’ll ship three to four times a year,” Deborah said. “It depends on our funds because it’s $20 a box.”

Meanwhile, on Friday, Hassan assisted folks in fixing stockings, and two stockings were placed in each box. The stockings that got stuffed and packaged together contain things such as canned fruit, socks and gum just to name a few.

“There’s still people who get no mail from back home and we’ve gotten letters from service personnel that said, ‘Hey, you are the only package I received while I was on deployment,'” Ted said.

Hassan said the box she packed up Friday will make its way to Africa, and includes bags of candy and handmade scarves.

“At a time when fewer than 1% of Americans serve in the military, it means that most Americans don’t have a connection to somebody who is serving, and this is a real way to build on that connection, and I think it is really important,” Hassan said.

Earlier this year, Hassan recognized Ted as the April 2019 Granite Stater of the Month. More recently, the Senator found herself visiting troops who are deployed in Afghanistan in mid-October. she said some of the places they are stationed are in pretty harsh environments, and to be able to get something from home, such as a hand-knit scarf in this instance, has something that reminds them of home. She said that is really important.

Meanwhile, in Washington, D.C., she and other officials have worked on a couple bills to make sure veterans are getting the benefits they need and deserve. She said they will continue to work on those issues, making sure that they are also getting the kind of funding for the Community Care operations and clinics for veterans. Additionally, she said she is working on a number of counterterrorism and cybersecurity measures, all aimed at keeping the homeland safe and making sure these warriors have the resources they need.

Adam Urquhart may be contacted at 594-1206 or aurquhart@nashuatelegraph.com.

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