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OTA Names Top Rated Charity for 2025 – 15 Consecutive Years!

Corkboard Concepts on January 23, 2026

For the 15th consecutive year OTA has reached Top Rated Charity Status at Great Non-Profits! This status is awarded when 10 or more 5-Star Reviews are posted by volunteers, donors or the troops and veterans we serve. OTA is grateful to have over 350 posted reviews!

You can help OTA reached Top Rated Charity in 2025 by posting your own 5 Star Review today! Simply click on the link https://greatnonprofits.org/org/operation-troop-appreciatio and scroll to the “Share Your Story” button and write a sentence or two about your experience with OTA.

OTA Veterans Day 5K Race

Corkboard Concepts on January 23, 2026

Event held at the Hamton Community Park

The 21st Annual Veterans Day 5K Race gets bigger every year! This challenging course is open for runners of all ages and prizes are given to the fastest time in each age group. Walk or run, but plan to attend this wonderful event!

OTA Jewelry Sale

Corkboard Concepts on January 23, 2026

Event held at the South Park Community Center

OTA’s Annual Gently Used Jewelry Weekend Sale is back, and we have thousands of pieces to choose from! Nothing over $5.00!   Perfect time to pick up some early Holiday presents or a new piece of bling for yourself!

Operation Troop Appreciation Celebrates its 20+ Year Anniversary with a Grand Opening of their New Headquarters and Location in West Mifflin

Corkboard Concepts on August 21, 2025

 

For Immediate Release: August 20, 2025

MORE INFO

Operation Troop Appreciation Celebrates its 20+ Year Anniversary with a Grand Opening of their New Headquarters and Location in West Mifflin

OTA Headquarters Grand Opening, Saturday, September 20, Noon-2 pm

In 2004 Operation Troop Appreciation (OTA) shipped its first round of care packages to a platoon of National Guard soldiers who were deployed to the Middle East in support of Operation Troop Iraqi Freedom. The initial intent was to quickly meet an immediate need for moisture wicking clothing in the extreme heat. Two decades later, Operation Troop Appreciation is now celebrated as one of the top veteran nonprofits in the United States.

“OTA’s original founder Kristen Holloway learned that some of our troops needed moisture wicking clothing to stay cool in the extreme heat,” said Monica Orluk, who is a founding member, and now the organization’s chief executive officer. “We fulfilled that order, and our plan was to continue sending care packages until the war ended. We didn’t anticipate what would happen next.”

Two decades later, OTA has served more than 210,000 active-duty troops and veterans representing all branches of the U.S. military, including the National Guard and the Reserves. Monica added, “OTA has achieved such phenomenal growth that it is now ranked among the ten top-rated military/veteran nonprofits by Military.com, and it’s important to note that we are a 100% VOLUNTEER nonprofit organization. From the CEO, the COO to the volunteers – 90% of all donations go directly to soldiers and veterans.

“All of us at OTA are proud of reaching this remarkable milestone,” said Orluk. “We couldn’t have served so many troops and veterans without the help of volunteers, private individuals, small businesses and corporate sponsors who provide financial support, participate in collection drives and help organize special events. It’s heartwarming to see how many people have continued to rally behind our troops and veterans.”

Two Programs

The cornerstone of OTA is its Active-Duty Military Support Project. Modeled after charities such as Make-a-Wish, this program enables troops to submit wish lists and ask for specific items they need and would otherwise have to pay for out of pocket. “The size of each order varies,” said Orluk. “We could be serving a battalion of 10,000, a platoon of 12 or anything in between. Regardless of how many we are serving, this program gives troops an opportunity to ask for items that help contribute to their health, welfare and morale.”

OTA continues to support our military once they return home. Its Welcome Home Program supports veterans and their families who need assistance to defray costs associated with establishing a new home. The Welcome Home Kit includes all new essentials such as beds, pots and pans, dishes, laundry supplies, towels and sheets, and cleaning supplies. Veterans can also arrange for transportation to take them to doctor’s appointments, counseling and rehabilitation sessions, and job interviews.

A New Headquarters and Grand Opening on Saturday, September 20th

Monica added, “We are very excited because after a three-year major building renovation, we are pleased to announce our new headquarters in West Mifflin. This new building will not only serve as our operational headquarters but also be a place where veterans can connect, relax and be supported. A veteran’s lounge will be open to veterans complete with computers for job searching and research as well a comfortable space to meet with case managers, service providers and to relax and socialize.  With the building’s square footage of over 11,000, it’s a perfect spot to host Veteran’s events during the year for fundraising, offer classes, host job fairs and provide social gatherings for our veterans to reduce isolation and promote comradery.  The annual Holiday party is the one event that draws veteran families to celebrate the season and “shop” for their children.

The grand opening of the new headquarters will be held on Saturday, September 20, 2025, from noon to 2 p.m. at 2017 Pennsylvania Avenue, West Mifflin, PA 15122. A ribbon cutting will be held at noon after a color guard ceremony followed by a program to honor soldiers and veterans, thank volunteers as well as those who have donated to OTA over the last 20 years and, most recently, those who helped fund the building restoration.  Guests will also be able to tour the building and see first hand how the charity completes program activities. OTA welcomes veterans, the community at large and the media. Light refreshments will be served. Register by September 12th on OTA’s web site: https://operationtroopappreciation.org/grand-opening/

As OTA looks to the future, it hopes to expand its services to reach out to even more troops, veterans and their families, especially now with their new headquarters.

“One of our challenges is securing enough financial support so we can continue our mission of serving our troops and veterans,” stated CEO Orluk, “because we are an all-volunteer organization, every single fundraising dollar we receive is used to help our troops and veterans, instead of paying for administration salaries.”

“We are excited and grateful as we head into the next decade with our new headquarters, as it will meet our growing needs, and the changing needs of our military and veterans for many years to come” she said.

To learn more about Operation Troop Appreciation, visit https://operationtroopappreciation.org

The new headquarters is located at 2017 Pennsylvania Avenue, West Mifflin, PA 15122

Attachments:
OTA 20-year historic timeline
New headquarters image
Invitation to Grand Opening
Video – Stories of Service: https://operationtroopappreciation.org/stories-of-service/

Please join OTA for this special event to celebrate our 20th Anniversary and NEW Headquarters!

Operation Troop Appreciation (OTA) supports both active-duty troops where they serve and returning veterans through the Welcome Home Program. Since its inception, OTA has served more than 210,000 troops and veterans.

The newly renovated facility, located in West Mifflin, will serve as operational headquarters and a place where veterans can connect, relax and be supported.

Light refreshments will be served

When
September 20, 2025
12 PM  –  2 PM

Where
2017 Pennsylvania Ave
West Mifflin, PA 15122

RSVP HERE BY 9.12.25

Register by scanning the QR code below or by visiting the registration page.

 

David leads the build-out of First Commonwealth’s advisory talent, with a particular emphasis on retirement and estate planning, and customized investment solutions. He is committed to providing a culture of customization and flexibility, ensuring superior service to the client.  

Before joining First Commonwealth, he served as Senior Vice President and Managing Director at FNB Wealth Management, responsible for the organization’s wealth management sales strategy, revenue retention efforts, investment agency accounts, employee benefit plans, foundations, endowments and trustee relationships. He also spent time at Federated Investors and PNC Wealth Management earlier in his career.  

David is a Certified Public Accountant, earning his Bachelor’s degree in Accounting from John Carroll University in Ohio and received his MBA from Robert Morris College in Pittsburgh.

Lesley brings over 25 years of experience in financial services, focusing on Insurance & Annuity marketing, product and distribution. Before Joining GBU, Lesley served as the CMO and Head of Distribution for Knighthead Annuity & Life Assurance Company, as founding leader driving the company’s growth to over $2 Billion in assets under management. Lesley spent 20 years with Prudential Financial as SVP, Relationship Management for Prudential’s annuity business, responsible for the management, business development, sales, and marketing for the firm’s 300 institutional clients. She grew sales from under $10 billion a year to over $21 Billion, becoming the largest distributor of annuities in the industry.

As a senior executive, Lesley’s passion is around growing, developing, and evolving businesses, while leveraging the strengths that already exist in the business. She works to understand the culture, the business framework, and the people, shaping her determination to build high-performance teams and successful organizations. Lesley holds B.A. In Economics & Political Science from Dickinson College in Carlisle, PA.