About Us
The mission of Operation Gift Cards Program is to organize regular monthly visits to the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, MD, and sometimes include Fort Belvoir, VA, with six key objectives:
1. Express Gratitude: Personally thank the patients at Walter Reed and Ft. Belvoir for their service to our nation and their sacrifices for freedom.
2. Provide Support: Present all visited patients with Post Exchange (PX) gift cards from the co-sponsoring organizations participating in the monthly visits.
3. Share Resources: Offer patients and their families valuable information about benefits available to them upon their return to their home state.
4. Facilitate Donations: Provide a way for veterans’ organizations, corporations, and individuals to donate items from the “Wish List” of various support groups at Walter Reed, such as the Red Cross and Fisher House.
5. Promote Healing: Offer local wounded and disabled veterans the opportunity to participate in visits to Walter Reed and Ft. Belvoir as part of their healing process.
6. Coordinate Events: Facilitate the participation of Walter Reed patients and ex-patients as weekend guests in special events, including:
• Hooks For Heroes CT Program at the Halloween Yacht Club
• Take A Vet Fishing Program at the Branford Yach Club
• Kathy Granfield’s Veteran Angler Charters
These events feature fishing trips on Long Island Sound, providing therapeutic and recreational experiences. Through these initiatives, Operation Gift Cards seeks to honor, support, and uplift wounded troops and their families, fostering recovery and community connections.
How We Help
Our Mission
At Hooks for Heroes, we are committed to honoring and supporting our military veterans by providing therapeutic fishing experiences that promote camaraderie, relaxation, and healing. Our mission is to create meaningful opportunities for connection and recovery through the restorative power of nature.
Our Impact
We proudly organize fishing excursions, engaging veterans and their family members in community events, and remain dedicated to expanding our support for veteran programs throughout Connecticut.
Our Community
Originating in Stamford, Connecticut, we support and participate in community activities to honor and give back to those who have served our nation, fostering lasting connections and meaningful experiences for our veterans and first responders.
Supporting Our Wounded Heroes
Walter Reed Weekend Retreat
Each year, Hooks for Heroes Connecticut proudly brings severely wounded troops from Walter Reed Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, to Stamford for a well-deserved weekend of rest and appreciation. These brave service members, currently undergoing therapy and medical treatment for their war injuries, are given a special opportunity to step away from the hospital and enjoy time with their loved ones. We extend this invitation to their spouses and children, ensuring their stay is comfortable and meaningful. Most importantly, this weekend serves as a heartfelt salute and thank-you to these heroes, offering them a break from therapy to relax with their families.
Monthly Support Program
Through the generous funds raised from the Hooks for Heroes Charity Tournament and your gracious donations, we partner with Disabled American Veterans Stamford Chapter 13's "Operation Gift Cards". Each month, our delegations personally deliver Thank You Cards and Gift Cards to troops at their bedside. Additionally, we provide care packages containing toiletries, snacks, and Gift Cards to the military base PX for families who have relocated or are staying with their loved ones during recovery.
