Operation Chillout (OCO) was founded in December 2000, when a number of Vietnam era U.S. Army Vets were found living under a bridge in Dover, NJ. OCO has been responding to the needs of homeless Veterans ever since. Over its 13 years OCO has provided free relief supplies valued at more than a million dollars. OCO provides year round outreach in 13 New Jersey Counties, 4 Eastern Pennsylvania Counties with a growing presence in Rockland County, NY.
My wife and I got involved with the organization over 5 years ago and have seen it grow significantly since then. We are both Sussex County Coordinators and work with around 13 other organizations in the county that serve homeless men, women and families.
Additionally, I am the Communications Coordinator for Operation Chillout. I’ve written a 9-page marketing plan for them and handle most of the marketing materials from design, illustration, and copy. This year, on August 10, 2013, we are having our largest fundraising event ever to support our Homeless Veterans Outreach called “Vets Summer Fest.” Previous years, this has been an indoor musical event with live bands, however this year it is outdoors and involves 9 live bands, a car show, cycle show, military vehicle display, food vendors, craft vendors, and fun for the whole family.
Using a variety of silhouette stock vector images, I’ve tried to create excitement and interest in the event with bright colors and a variety of type styles as graphics for flyers, posters, church bulletin inserts, donor brochure, tickets, stationary, and postcards, as well as designing a Vets Summer Fest website (http://www.vetssummerfest.org/index.html) and Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/VetsSummerFest2013). Additionally, I designed the Operation Chillout Homeless Veterans Outreach logo.
Like everyone else in the organization, Judy and I are unpaid volunteers.
Operation Chillout is an all-volunteer 501 (c) 3 non-for-profit organization and donations are tax deductible to the amount allowed by law.
