We recently connected with Graci Tubbs and have shared our conversation below.

Graci, appreciate you joining us today. What’s the backstory behind how you came up with the idea for your business?

Operation: Military Matters began in November 2015 as a gifted class project for 9-year-old fourth grader Graci Tubbs, who is now 20 years old and a college sophomore.
The inspiration came after Graci attended her school’s Veterans Day assembly. Listening to veterans share stories about their service and sacrifices left a lasting impression on her. She began thinking about the men and women serving overseas, far from home and their families, and wondered how they knew people back home appreciated what they were doing.
Wanting to make a difference, Graci decided to collect supplies from the community and send care packages to deployed military personnel. Her goal was simple: let our troops know they were not forgotten.
What started as a school project quickly grew into something much larger. The community embraced the idea, donating supplies, writing letters, and volunteering to help. It became clear that people were looking for a meaningful way to personally connect with and support deployed service members.
The most exciting part was seeing how a simple care package could make such a powerful impact. It wasn’t just about the items inside the box—it was about sending encouragement, gratitude, and a reminder of home.
As support continued to grow, Operation: Military Matters became a corporation in December 2015 and received its 501(c)(3) nonprofit status on March 16, 2016.
Today, Graci speaks to civic organizations, schools, and military groups to raise awareness and support for the mission. What began as a fourth-grade project has grown into a nonprofit that has sent nearly 14,000 care packages to military personnel around the world and raised more than $600,000 in donations and over $1 million in in-kind contributions.
The success of Operation: Military Matters wasn’t built on a business plan—it was built on compassion. A young girl saw a need, took action, and inspired an entire community to help ensure our military members know they are appreciated, remembered, and supported.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

My name is Graci Tubbs, and I am the founder of Operation: Military Matters, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting deployed military personnel through care packages, letters of encouragement, and community involvement.
I started Operation: Military Matters in November 2015 when I was just 9 years old and in the fourth grade. After attending a Veterans Day assembly at my school and hearing veterans speak about their service and sacrifices, I felt compelled to do something to support the men and women serving our country. As part of a gifted class project, I began collecting donated items from my community and sending care packages to deployed military personnel overseas.
What began as a simple school project quickly grew into a mission. The response from the community was overwhelming. People wanted to help, donate supplies, write letters, and show their appreciation for our troops. Seeing the impact these packages had on deployed service members inspired me to continue growing the effort.
Today, Operation: Military Matters is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that has sent nearly 13,000 care packages to military personnel stationed around the world. Through the generosity of supporters, we have raised more than $600,000 in monetary donations and received over $1 million in in-kind contributions to help fulfill our mission.
What sets Operation: Military Matters apart is the personal connection we create between communities and the military. Every care package represents the gratitude of countless individuals who want service members to know they are appreciated and remembered. We don’t just send supplies—we send encouragement, support, and a reminder of home.
One of the things I am most proud of is that this organization has brought together people of all ages and backgrounds to support a common cause. Schools, businesses, civic groups, veterans organizations, and individual volunteers have all played a role in helping us serve those who serve our country.
Although I am now 20 years old and a college sophomore, I remain actively involved in the organization, speaking to civic groups, schools, and military organizations about our mission and helping raise awareness and support for our troops.
The most important thing I want people to know about Operation: Military Matters is that one person really can make a difference. What started as an idea from a fourth-grade student has grown into an organization that has touched thousands of lives. Our mission remains the same today as it was from the beginning: to ensure that every deployed service member knows they are appreciated, supported, and never forgotten.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

One lesson I had to unlearn was the idea that you have to wait until you’re older, more experienced, or have all the answers before you can make a difference.
When I started Operation: Military Matters, I was just 9 years old. Like many kids, I assumed adults were the ones who started organizations, led projects, and solved big problems. But after attending a Veterans Day assembly at my school, I felt strongly that I wanted to do something to support our military members serving overseas. Even though I was young and had no experience running a nonprofit, I decided to start by collecting supplies and sending care packages.
What surprised me was how willing people were to support the idea. Community members, businesses, schools, and volunteers rallied around the mission. As the project grew into a nonprofit organization, I learned that passion, determination, and a willingness to take the first step can be just as important as experience.
Over the years, I’ve realized that many people hold themselves back because they think they’re not ready. If I had waited until I felt completely prepared, Operation: Military Matters might never have happened.
The lesson I had to unlearn was that age, titles, and credentials are what qualify you to make an impact. The truth is that meaningful change often starts when someone simply sees a need and decides to do something about it. That’s a lesson that continues to guide me today.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

One of the biggest pivots in my life happened when what started as a simple school project unexpectedly became a nonprofit organization.
When I launched Operation: Military Matters in fourth grade, the goal was straightforward: collect supplies from the community and send care packages to deployed military personnel. I thought I would complete my project, help a few service members, and fulfill my class assignment.

What I didn’t anticipate was the overwhelming response from the community. Donations started coming in, volunteers wanted to help, and military members began reaching out requesting support. Almost overnight, the project became much larger than anything I had imagined.

My family and I quickly realized we had a choice. We could treat it as a one-time project, or we could pivot and build something sustainable that could continue serving military personnel long-term.

That decision led us down a path we never expected. Within months, Operation: Military Matters became a corporation and later received its 501(c)(3) nonprofit status. We had to learn how to raise funds, recruit volunteers, manage donations, organize packing events, and operate an organization—all while I was still in elementary school.

The pivot taught me that sometimes your original plan is only the starting point. If you’re willing to adapt and follow where the opportunity leads, you can create an impact far greater than what you initially envisioned.

Today, nearly 14,000 care packages later, I’m grateful we embraced that pivot. What began as a class project became a mission that has connected thousands of people with our military members serving around the world.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.operationmilitarymatters.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/militarymatterscorp/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/operationmilitarymatters
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/operationmilitarymatters
• Twitter: https://x.com/ommcares

Image Credits

photos provided by Operation: Military Matters