Operation Merry Meals – Bringing the Holidays to Military Families

MEDIA RELEASE: For Immediate Release
Dec. 17, 2024

Operation Merry Meals – Bringing the Holidays to Military Families OAK PARK HEIGHTS, Minn. – This Thursday, Minnesota National Guard staff and Beyond the Yellow Ribbon partners and volunteers are teaming up for Operation Merry Meals to provide holiday meals for Minnesota veterans, service members, and military families in need.

“The holiday season often underscores the love for family, duty, and gratitude that defines military life,” said Army Col. Eduardo Suarez, director of the Minnesota National Guard’s Culture, Resiliency, and Community Engagement. “Whether our service members are home or abroad, they can face many challenges that are often compounded during the holiday season. Operation Merry Meals is one way we, as Minnesotans, come together to support those in need. The simple act of providing a meal goes a long way in showing how we value the service and sacrifice of those that have served or are serving, and their families.”

This year, the annual effort involves gathering and packing an estimated 300 meal kits filled with groceries at Meals from the Heart, along with approximately 600 packs of assorted meats donated by Hunter’s Harvest. On Dec. 19, the meal kits and meats will be loaded into vehicles and delivered by volunteers to armories and air wings across the state. There, the food will be distributed to those who registered to receive them.

Beyond the Yellow Ribbon establishes and sustains community and corporate support networks that connect agencies, organizations, and resources to meet the needs of Minnesota’s military veterans and service members in all branches and their families. To learn more about BTYR, visit https://MinnesotaNationalGuard.ng.mil/btyr.

– About the Minnesota National Guard –

Established in 1856 and headquartered in Saint Paul, the Minnesota National Guard has more than 13,000 Soldiers and Airmen who serve in 58 communities across the state. The Citizen[1]Soldiers and Airmen of the Minnesota National Guard are ‘Always Ready’ to fight the nation’s wars, protect the country, respond to state emergencies, and contribute to local communities. For more information about the Minnesota National Guard, visit https://MinnesotaNationalGuard.ng.mil.

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