Student Troop Support Programs assist deployed troops, military families, wounded warriors and veterans. All service hours are certified under the Presidential Service Award Volunteer Program.

Operation Cuppa Joe Project Soldier, a student troop support cause aiding deployed troops, military families, wounded warriors and veterans, has kicked off its national rollout into 120,000 schools nationwide, including two schools in the Tustin Unified School District.

Since its inception, OCJ has involved 10,000 students in the program and created six unique troop support programs certified under the Presidential Service Award Volunteer program. Students build character, loyalty, duty, respect, selfless service, honor, integrity and personal courage through troop support efforts in school.

Operation Cuppa Joe has begun the rollout at Pioneer Middle School via the Project Soldier Student Troop Support Club. Students will volunteer their time and effort to make troop care packages, wounded warrior and veteran quilts, collect items for military family school supply and toy drives, running recycling programs and aiding troops and their families in the community. Pioneer students started signing 5,000 holiday cards last week and Beckman High School students will be begin signing 10,000 cards soon to show support for the troops.

“We are extremely proud of the schools’ students, administrators, counselors, teachers, ASB and Peer Assistance Leadership group who support these Presidential Service Award Volunteer Initiatives,” said David Cook, CEO of Operation Cuppa Joe. “There’s no greater sacrifice than the one made by our military personnel and their families. Showing them honor and appreciation and boosting their morale is the greatest gift we can give them stateside, and Operation Cuppa Joe Project Soldier is one small way to do that.”

Operation Cuppa Joe's mission is to collect, donate and distribute over one million care packages to all military branches stateside and abroad. Operation Cuppa Joe will work with students, educators, administrators, school districts, parents and corporations to support student troop support programs in elementary, middle and high schools, and colleges, universities and graduate schools in both the public and private sectors.

For more information, visit www.operationcuppajoe.com or www.presidentialserviceawards.gov.