In honor of America’s 250th birthday, Berks County-based nonprofit American Hero Wishes hosts a letter drive initiative entitled America 250: Honoring Our Heroes to collect 250 letters for veterans plus send 25 care packages overseas.
“We are embarking on this initiative to commemorate our nation’s semiquincentennial by concurrently expressing our deepest gratitude to the men and women who have secured our freedom, so that we can celebrate 250 years as a country,” American Hero Wishes president and founder Brianne Houck of Birdsboro said in a statement.
A veteran herself, Houck attended the U.S. Military Academy at West Point after graduating from Daniel Boone High School in 2002. She served in the Army from July 2002 until health concerns discontinued her military service in 2005. During her service, she received the National Service Medal.
Her USOA Ms. Pennsylvania 2022 platform, Operation Helping Our Heroes, was dedicated to the men and women who have served and are serving in the military.
From that platform, American Hero Wishes came to fruition. She established the 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization in 2022 to grant the wishes of veterans who were wounded either physically, mentally, or both while serving.
“In honor of America’s semiquincentennial, we’re coming together to send 250 letters and 25 care packages to our troops and veterans. Behind every uniform is a person who has sacrificed time, comfort, and moments with loved ones to serve our country. This is our chance to remind them that they are seen, appreciated, and never forgotten,” said Houck.
In honor of America’s 250th birthday, Berks County-based nonprofit American Hero Wishes hosts a letter drive initiative entitled America 250: Honoring Our Heroes to collect 250 letters for veterans plus send 25 care packages overseas.
To participate in the initiative, the public can send a single-page letter of gratitude or donate items to help American Hero Wishes reach its goal.
“A simple note or gesture of care can mean more than you know,” said Houck. “We’re asking the community to help us reach our goals by July 4. Letters do not need to be extensive or lengthy. We’re looking for an abbreviated, heartfelt thank you.”
An example is: “Dear Hero, Thank you for your service and sacrifice for our country. People like you are the reason we celebrate 250 years of freedom.”
Some of the letters will be included with the care packages, with the remainder distributed to local veterans.
Items for donation include the following: non-perishable food items (no chocolate, please), travel-size toiletries, wet wipes, sunscreen and lip balm, hand sanitizer, socks (moisture-wicking, if possible), playing cards and travel games, puzzle books, notebooks and pens.
Mail letters and donations by June 13 to: PO Box 145, Birdsboro, PA 19508-0145.
“We’d also like the community to share their efforts with us on social media if they’re so inclined,” said Houck.
Share your support and tag American Hero Wishes using #OperationGratitude250.
Past wishes
The purpose of American Hero Wishes is to grant wishes of disabled veterans who suffered long-term ailments while serving our country in the military.
Supported by donations and fundraisers, the nonprofit works throughout the year to build the funds necessary to fulfill a veteran’s wish.
“The immediate goal is to fulfill at least one wish per year. The ultimate goal is to grant a wish to at least one veteran in every U.S. state. Underlying both of these goals is the ongoing aspiration to build awareness of American Hero Wishes through apt channels to facilitate short and long-term goals,” said Houck.
The organization’s first wish, a custom-built shed, was gifted in October 2022 to a State College area veteran who served as a combat medic in the Army. In September 2023, American Hero Wishes fulfilled its second wish to a Marine Corps veteran in Quakertown who served in the Global War on Terrorism.
In November 2024, American Hero Wishes gave back on a larger scale by contributing $6,000 to another nonprofit organization that supports veterans. American Hero Wishes donated a dog-washing station to support K9s For Warriors in San Antonio, Texas, which provides highly-trained service dogs to military veterans suffering from PTSD, traumatic brain injury and/or military sexual trauma.
The 2025 wish was an outdoor sauna gifted to an Army veteran residing in New York.
Houck said American Hero Wishes received donations from American Legion Post 626 of Birdsboro, Chandler Lodge #227 of West Reading and Faith Lutheran Church of Mount Penn.
“We want to sincerely thank all of the people and organizations that supported us through their donations,” Houck said. “We could not bring to fruition any of the projects that we have without them.”
To nominate a veteran for a wish or for more information about ways to support American Hero Wishes, email info@americanherowishes.org. For updates on future fundraising events and wishes, follow American Hero Wishes on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/americanherowishes.org and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/americanherowishes.