OVER TWO DECADES AGO, , my family started a Thanksgiving tradition of signing holiday cards for our Troops. In 2017, a family friend was deployed and I decided to send all of our cards to the USS Theodore Roosevelt, the aircraft carrier on which he was stationed. When I learned that there were over 5,000 aboard, the Holiday Card Challenge was created and I reached out to my New Hampshire Community to join in! In six weeks, 17,000 cards were on my front porch and they were shipped off to our Warriors. A WW2 Veteran asked me to send cards to all five Branches in 2018 and a promise is a promise, especially to one of our National Heroes!

In 2018, I formed the nonprofit, Holiday Cards 4 Our Military NH Challenge to both spread the word of the Challenge and to allow for and to assist with fundraising. 50,000 Holiday Cards were shipped out to the Navy, Army, Coast Guard, Marines, and Air Force. A Vietnam Veteran told me that he still has his card that he received from a child 52 years ago! He had tucked that card in his pocket when serving, promising himself that if he made it home that he would frame it for his wall. Today, that card is proudly displayed in his home, reminding him of the kindness of strangers.

In 2019, over 175,000 cards were signed and sent to our Servicemen/women. The cards came from across our Nation, thousands coming from students. Departments of Education from 45 States challenged their Schools to join in! The Challenge was featured as an America Strong segment on ABC World News with David Muir as well as on CBS This Morning, CNN New Day, NBC Access Daily, Veterans Television Network, The Weather Channel, WMUR ABC , CBS Boston, WZID New Hampshire, KDKA Pittsburgh as well as countless TV and Radio Stations across the Country. Almost all of the 2020 Presidential Candidates signed Holiday Cards as they visited New Hampshire for the FIrst-In-The- Nation Primary Season. From Toddlers to Governors to our US Congress, cards have been signed with holiday cheer. The Holiday Card Challenge has been read in to our US Congressional Record, sharing the story of our Nation's generous hearts for generations to come.

In 2020 Challenge, not even a Global Pandemic could stop us! Live! with Kelly snd Ryan featured the Card Challenge and kicked off a whole new nationwide presence! Our Troops need our support and Cards2Connect even more as they are far from home during these complex times. We sent out 110,000 cards and another 10,000 cards of care during early 2021 to our Military stationed at the US Capitol, to Veterans isolated by COVID, to National Guard for helping with the vaccine, and to Troops deployed and away from home.

2021 was an amazing success ! The word was out across the Nation and in 2021, close to 140,000 cards poured in from ALL 50 STATES. We were back on the major TV Networks, radio, and in newsprint around the Country.

We have created #cards2connect Challenges, opportunities to send care and appreciation to our Military and their Families all year long.

2022 was BUSY BUSY with close to 20,000 cards of care going out for Valentines Day, Happy Spring… including a hand delivery of cards of gratitude to the Military Staff at the US Embassy in Israel, a mailing of 1500 cards of support to displaced Ukrainian families, their loved ones fighting for freedom, and our US Military who are supporting their efforts. Thank you cards to our Veterans were delivered around the Country and Halloween BOO Cards were sent out to Warriors deployed overseas. Our Winter Holiday Card Challenge yielded 228,000 cards, all created with love and gratitude.

In early 2023, there were already 35,000 cards packed up for the Winter Holidays and 15,000 cards were sent out for Happy Valentines Day and Happy Spring with more going it in May! Many businesses and schools are embracing the “Christmas in -Pick a Month” and are sending in their cards with Santa Claus and Hanukkah and Kwanzaa in mind, albeit a tad early!

In 2023, we sent out our ONE MILLIONTH card! Maybe it was your card! Or maybe it was the Commander In Chief’s amazing card that was sent to us directly from the White House!

In 2024, we sent out 365,000 cards. If you do the math, that is basically 1,000 cards per day! New partners and volunteers make the Card Challenge a #winwin for everyone! OVER 1.5 MILLION CARDS!!

2025 has been a busy year so far and it is only May. We have close to 100,000 cards packed up and will be doing a HUGE Christams-Hanukah-Kwanzaa-In-July mailing to Warriors around the Globe. We sent out thousands of Valentines and Happy Spring Cards! We have continued to grow and expand our reach by working more with our cherished Veterans across the Nation.

Your Holiday Cards continue to arrive each day ALL YEAR LONG from all 50 States, even from Europe! Your partnership, whether it be writing cards, volunteering to proofread and bundle cards and/or to financially partner with us will make our shared mission a, “MISSION ACCOMPLISHED” !

All donations, small or large, are graciously and gratefully accepted; each will guarantee that our Troops, Veterans, and Military Families will feel our support!

Our SPONSOR-A-BOX initiative has been a gold-medal success. For $150, a box of 1,000 cards will be mailed out with your name clearly identified on the outside of each box, letting the recipients know of your support & gratitude!

We just know that you will want to join in either for the first time or all over again! Please support the Holiday Card Challenge by signing cards and by donating toward the costs to keep it going for years to come. Givebutter offers an easy way to do just that and from my heart, I thank you! Check out the website www.militaryholidaycardchallen... , Facebook Page: Holiday Card Challenge, and Instagram Page: Holiday Card Challenge, and LinkedIn Pages : Dr. Laura Landerman-Garber. & Holiday Cards 4 Our Military NH Challenge. As this Airman shows us, lets knock our Warriors over with cards of care and holiday cheer!

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By Holiday Cards 4 Our Military

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