Thirty-five years ago today, on July 12, 1979, Operation USA, then known as “Operation California,” launched its first-ever relief effort–aiding 44,000 Vietnamese “Boat People” refugees suffering on Pulau Bidong (a waterless and treeless rock island) in the South China Sea off the coast of Malaysia. Richard Walden visits with Cambodian refugees in Thailand, 1982. […]
Starting today, July 9th, John Legend, RYOT and the Burkle Global Impact Initiative are teaming up to launch the #OperationGirl Charity Challenge, a fundraising campaign for charities focused on women and girls. Among the painful lessons that Operation USA has learned in 35 years in the field is that women and children are […]
July 1st marks the start of a new fiscal year, and to kick it off we’re giving our donate page a makeover! Our new donation and fundraising tools, powered by StayClassy, make giving to Operation USA easier than ever. Now, when you make a donation to Operation USA, the process is simple and worry-free! […]
Operation USA is proud to be a coalition partner in the ‘5th Birthday and Beyond’ campaign. Read on to learn why we’re helping to celebrate more 5th birthdays around the world, and what you can do to get involved! For many families, a child’s fifth birthday is just one of many milestones to be […]
by Richard Walden March 28, 2014 — On June 16, 1979, the very day a friend and I dreamed up a relief flight to help the Vietnamese “Boat People,” I had dinner with Maya Angelou at a friend’s home in Pacific Palisades, CA. Richard Walden in Cambodia, 1979 Hundreds of thousands of […]