October 2026 Newsletter
Troopathon & Blue Star Moms Honor 25 Years Since 9/11
Troopathon recently hosted its 9th Annual Packathon, bringing together a dedicated community of volunteers, veterans, active duty and military families to mark a solemn milestone: the 25th anniversary of the September 11, 2001, attacks. Partnering with the Blue Star Moms of Rolling Hills, volunteers gathered at the Troopathon Operation Center in Sacramento to hand-pack and ship 911 care packages—mirroring the date etched into our nation’s history.
The packing floor was filled with several Troops who had recently returned from their own overseas deployments.
"Twenty-five years ago, our nation was changed forever, and this Packathon is how we make sure that day—and the troops who continue to answer the call because of it—are never forgotten," said Scott Raab, a Navy veteran and Troopathon's Director of Operations who enlisted in direct response to 9/11. For the Blue Star Moms of Rolling Hills, the mission hits incredibly close to home. Leslie Wade, Chapter President, noted that every mother in their chapter has a loved one who served, making it an honor to stand with Troopathon and ensure no deployed service member ever feels forgotten.
Troopathon Board of Director and 9/11 Twin Tower 2 survivor Richard Hannaford
Among those lending a hand was Richard Hannaford, a Troopathon board member and a survivor of the World Trade Center attacks, where he was working as a corporate bond broker on the 84th floor of Tower 2 on that fateful morning. Hannaford, who helped launch the Packathon nine years ago, shared how deeply meaningful this specific milestone was for him. He recalls being between the 41st and 42nd floors when the second plane struck his building, describing the impact as being "like an earthquake." As he made his evacuation down the stairwell, he passed New York City firemen heading upward into the danger—faces he notes he can still see clearly today. "It's hard to believe a quarter century has passed since September 11, 2001. Some days those memories feel distant; other days they resurface with the same haunting clarity as if it happened yesterday," Hannaford shared. "This 25th anniversary carries a different weight—twenty-five years is long enough that we risk letting the memory fade, and that's exactly why we can't. I'm deeply grateful to have survived, and to spend this milestone anniversary honoring our troops through Troopathon's mission."
Watch Richard tell his story in his own words HERE
Though the 9th Annual Packathon has concluded, the deployment cycles for our active-duty military never stop. Unlike organizations focused strictly on veterans, Troopathon remains dedicated to delivering morale and a taste of home directly to the frontlines where service members face the greatest dangers. Community members can continue to support the mission year-round by sponsoring a care package, volunteering, or donating online, while military families with a loved one currently deployed overseas can request a free care package directly through troopathon.org.
Troopathon Earns 13 Consecutive Years as a Top-Rated Nonprofit
We're thrilled to announce that Troopathon has been awarded "Top-Rated Nonprofit" status by Great Nonprofits for the 13th consecutive year! Great Nonprofits is the leading platform for community-driven charity reviews, and this incredible honor belongs to you. Your heartwarming stories, incredible feedback, and unwavering support are exactly what keeps us at the top. Thank you for standing with our troops.
But the mission doesn't stop here, and we need your help today. To keep this prestigious title year after year, we have to meet a strict review quota. If we fall short, our top-rated status expires. Whether you are a volunteer, a sponsor, or a service member who has received one of our care packages, your voice matters. Head over to our official Great Nonprofits Profile right now to read the amazing stories from the field and leave your own positive review.
The good news keeps coming because Troopathon has also earned a prestigious 4-star rating from Charity Navigator. This is the highest honor an organization can achieve, evaluating our transparency, accountability, financial health, and leadership. When you invest your hard-earned dollars into Troopathon, you can do so with absolute peace of mind. We promise to maximize your generosity, fulfilling our mission to support deployed troops in the most ethical, efficient, and transparent way possible. Thank you for being the backbone of Troopathon. Let’s keep this momentum going and leave a review today.
Un-boo-lievable Candy Buy Back for the Troops!
Ready to turn your extra trick-or-treat haul into a massive morale booster for our brave service members serving overseas? We are thrilled to invite you to join forces with us for the 2026 Halloween Candy Buyback Program! Every single care package we ship is hand-packed with love, personally addressed, and sent directly to fulfill a support request from a deployed hero. Thanks to your un-boo-lievable generosity in the past, this incredible community helps us collect and ship over 30,000 pounds of candy every single year, delivering a sweet reminder of home right to the front lines. Whether you are a seasoned candy-dropping pro or you are thinking of jumping into the fun for the very first time, we need your help to make this season another legendary, sweet success for our troops!
Click the button below for More Info & Register for the Halloween Buyback Program
Program Details:
Sending Candy: Ship by December 31, 2026, keeping candy in its original wrapping (chocolate is welcome!).
Collection Period: Suggested November 1–7, 2026, but you can collect any time before year-end.
Event Ideas for dentists, orthodontists or businesses: Host a Buyback ($1/lb., or give a sticker, etc.), Giveback (thank donors), or Sweet Swap (exchange candy for healthy treats).
Shipping Information:
Up to 500 lbs.: Send to our Operation Center:
Troopathon Operation Center
3105 Fite Circle, Suite 108
Sacramento, CA 95827
Contact: Scott Raab, (916) 441-6197 - [email protected]Over 500 lbs.: Send pallets or large shipments to our warehouse:
Troopathon Warehouse
850 Gray Ave
Yuba City, CA 95991
Contact: Michael Nichols, (530) 632-3597 - [email protected]
Attention Halloween heroes and super parents! Don't let your extra trick-or-treat sweets sit in a bowl on top of the fridge all year. You can join forces with local dentists for the ultimate Halloween Candy Buyback and turn that mountain of candy into a massive wave of support for our deployed troops!
Kids get to trade in their excess candy loot for fun prizes, coupons, or toothbrush goodies, making it an exciting mission to share the sweetness. Dentists then pack up all those donated treats to be included with Troopathon care packages sent directly to our brave service members overseas. It is the perfect, high-energy way for families to celebrate the spirit of giving, save some teeth, and send a huge sweet-filled "thank you" to our troops! Just look for a participating practice near you with our handy tool:
Voices from the Frontlines
We wanted to share some of the meaningful notes and sentiments shared with us from the troops we support as well as their families. We hope these messages touch your hearts as much as they touch ours.
“We are over 3 Months and No port visit in over 3 months and none in sight... sometimes we see food rationing and hardly any supplies or snacks in our store or vending machines... We have only had mail 2 times. We just had a helicopter crash and a loss of a sailor on board this week.” — Charles B. — USN.
Charles ship left Norfolk in late March and sailed to the Middle East as part of a widely-covered three-carrier presence there. You may have read about the helicopter incident aboard on July 1 as it was widely covered in the national news. Charles is a 21-year Navy veteran on his 12th deployment, and humbly submitted his request for support on behalf of "over 5,000 people" aboard serving with him.
The next request was submitted by Nicole H. on behalf of her husband, James, a deployed member of the National Guard.
“He has done 8 deployments over the past 20 years. He's been in the military for 39 years... He does a buddy check in every 22nd of the month because he's lost too many fellow soldiers to suicide. He is a true hero whether holding the line or holding someone's hand.” — Nicole H., spouse.
We believe our care package program can help sustain the spirit of our fighting men and women, that is why our care package program is such an important outreach for our troops.
“A package from home is more than just the items inside — it's a reminder that people back in the United States are thinking about them... even small comforts like familiar snacks, hygiene items, or a handwritten note can provide encouragement.” — Matthew B. Air National Guard, deployed.
Please hear the voices of our military members and their families, we must do our part to honor their service today and every day.
October Photo of the Month
There is nothing like a special message in a Troopathon Care Package to send a hug from home!
“It will boost the morale for the whole team. We have a team of 9 people but I don’t want to ask for much. We appreciate what y’all do.” Says Fernando A. United States Air Force, deployed on what it means to receive a care package from home.
Fernando is just one of the thousands of deployed service members who is hoping to hear his name shouted out during mail call. Thank to our fantastic volunteers, sponsors and team members at Troopathon, we are hoping to help keep his spirits high as the holiday season approaches.