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McHenry County Department of Health announces 7th Annual Operation Dropbox, second in partnership with Lake County Health Department

MCHENRY COUNTY, IL – The McHenry County Department of Health (MCDH) is excited to announce the 7th annual Operation Dropbox, a donation drive dedicated to supporting more than 3,000 local veterans and their families. For the second time, the drive will include Lake County through a partnership with the Lake County Health Department. Organizations, churches, libraries, and businesses in both McHenry and Lake counties are invited to participate as drop site locations for this important initiative.

During their first collaborative Operation Dropbox, Lake and McHenry County together saw a record level of community support, with 132 organizations participating as drop site locations and 11,427 pounds of donations for Veterans Path to Hope. Since its inception in 2018, the McHenry County Department of Health has collected over 26,000 pounds of donations from over 240 drop site locations.

“Operation Dropbox has consistently demonstrated the strength and generosity of our community,” said McHenry County Department of Health Administrator Melissa Adamson. “Each year, this initiative allows us to support veterans and their families while also conducting a meaningful training exercise that strengthens our ability to respond to emergencies and serve residents when it matters most.”

Operation Dropbox is a multi-county initiative wherein Medical Reserve Corps volunteers collect donations from drop sites and deliver them to Veterans Path to Hope, a nonprofit dedicated to providing housing, employment assistance, peer support, caregiver training, and counseling to homeless veterans. To learn more about Veterans Path to Hope, call (815) 321-4673 or visit veteranspathtohope.org. The Lake County satellite site, Lake County Veterans and Family Services, is a drop-in center staffed by veterans that offers the same services.

Operation Dropbox provides critical support to Veterans Path to Hope’s food pantry and assistance programs. “Every day, the employees at Veterans Path to Hope see the impact of Operation Dropbox in the relieved faces of veterans in need and their families who visit the food pantry,” said Laura Franz, executive director of Veterans Path to Hope. “On average, 10–15 households are served each day with food, household items, and pet supplies gathered through this partnership. We are grateful to be part of this ongoing effort and truly appreciate the support it allows us to provide.”

Following the donation drive, both McHenry and Lake counties will hold state-mandated emergency preparedness exercises in June. McHenry County Medical Reserve Corps volunteers and MCDH staff will conduct one exercise, while the Lake County Medical Reserve Corps and the Lake County Health Department will hold a separate exercise. Both will use the collected donations to simulate the process of unloading and distributing medical countermeasures during an emergency.

Organizations interested in hosting a donation box can sign up using the respective links below. All necessary materials, including donation boxes and signage, will be provided.

The deadline to sign up is Friday, April 3, with supplies delivered during the week of April 27.

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