On Tuesday, August 8, wildfires–fueled by dry weather and high winds from passing Hurricane Dora–quickly overtook the Hawaiian island of Maui, decimating homes and businesses. Residents who were forced to quickly evacuate suffered major losses, with hundreds killed or injured and many more displaced by the fires. Lahaina, a well loved and historic town was […]
April 25, 2023 We at OpUSA are saddened by news of the passing of Harry Belafonte, legendary singer, actor and activist. Our thoughts are with all those who knew and loved Harry, and we are grateful to have known him. From our President & CEO, Richard Walden: “Once in awhile something happens in life that […]
February 9, 2023–We at OpUSA are saddened at the passing of the great Burt Bacharach, legendary composer, producer, songwriter and pianist. We were lucky to work with Mr. Bacharach in 1999, when he joined “Music Bridges” to Cuba, a program where American artists (including greats like Gladys Knight, Bonnie Raitt, Mick Fleetwood and Peter Frampton!) […]
On February 6, 2023, two powerful magnitude 7.8+ earthquakes struck Turkey, causing widespread damage across Turkey and Syria. A a magnitude 6.4 aftershock on February 20, 2023 and a magnitude 5.2 quake on February 27, 2023 caused further destruction. These quakes, along with subsequent, powerful aftershocks, were the worst to strike the area in modern […]
January 18, 2023–For several weeks, California has been overwhelmed by major storms. Heavy rainfall has inundated many communities, leading to floods/flash floods, mudslides, power outages and significant damage across the state. At least 20 people have been reported dead, with many more injured and/or displaced. We at Operation USA are committed to helping our neighbors […]