We are honored to name Operation Shower as the Rylee + Cru Foundation Grant Recipient for the month of October. Operation Shower is a nonprofit organization dedicated to celebrating and supporting military moms-to-be through joyful, community-driven baby showers. Their mission is to honor the sacrifices of military families by hosting beautiful group baby showers for expecting service members and spouses, often during times of deployment or separation. Through these events, Operation Shower provides essential baby supplies, encouragement, and a sense of connection—reminding every mom that she’s not alone and that her service and strength are deeply appreciated.
Read our Q&A with Founder and Chief Shower Officer, LeAnn Morrissey, to learn more about Operation Shower's mission and impact.
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Q&A
Q. What inspired the creation of Operation Shower, and how has the
mission evolved since it began?
A. During my uncle’s deployment in 2007, as I was looking for a way to support the military, he suggested that I send cards to a few military moms-to-be back home whose spouses were deployed with him; but I decided to do more. With support from friends and family, we put together boxes filled with gifts and necessities, and sent them to the moms. The gratitude we received from them and the morale boost it gave their deployed loved ones were overwhelming, and the first Showers-In-A-Box were born (in my basement!) Soon after, Operation Shower hosted our first group baby shower at Ft. Bragg, North Carolina, providing a joyful, uplifting and impactful opportunity for the moms to share camaraderie and build vital support networks with other women who are expecting during deployment while alleviating financial strain through gift giving. Operation Shower now hosts up to 26 uniquely themed, exquisitely designed showers each year for 20-40 moms at a time, with our Showers-In-A-Box as the centerpiece. Since 2007, we are overjoyed to have honored nearly 10,000 military families on military bases, in collaboration with professional sports teams, and at other locations in communities across the country.
Q. How do you select the military moms and families who receive a baby shower?
A. We work closely with military bases and installations across the U.S. to identify and invite the military families to be honored in each location. All of the invited moms-to-be are from non-commissioned officer and junior enlisted families…those most vulnerable to financial hardship.
Q. What are some of the biggest challenges military families face
during pregnancy and early parenthood, especially when one parent is
deployed?
A. While active-duty service members face their own set of hardships abroad, their partners back home take on the invisible weight of running a household, managing finances and grappling with the mental health toll of separation. And when a military spouse is expecting during deployment, they are shouldering one of life’s most vulnerable journeys alone - oftentimes stationed far away from family and friends. In this high-stress environment, camaraderie with fellow military moms-to-be who truly understand their struggles is more than just a comfort; for many it can be a lifeline. Operation Shower was created because pregnancy should be a time of joy and support, not isolation and anxiety. Moms always tell us that they truly appreciate the gifts...but that the best part of the shower was feeling appreciated, valued, and better able to cope with the challenges of pregnancy during deployment as a result of the connections and friendships they made with other military moms-to-be during the shower.
Q. Can you share a particularly memorable story or moment from a past
shower that really reflects the impact of your work?
A. There are so many examples and moments to choose from, but I’d love to share one mom’s note which I feel sums up the truly meaningful impact of our showers.
“The most meaningful part of the shower to me, was not feeling alone. For as long as I can remember, the feelings of isolation and loneliness have always been attached to my shoulders. I was a first-generation student. A first-born daughter. An older sister. My role was to lead and be an example. That has now followed me into the military, where the mentality is, "Figure it out for yourself." Before Operation Shower, I felt like I was a little girl again, trying to figure out her English homework on her own because her parents didn't speak the language. Except now I am a twenty-year-old trying to figure out pregnancy, motherhood, and adulthood. On my own. With no family to run to for support, or no contacts to reach out to for guidance. Once again, figuring it out. But Operation Shower showed me that on the contrary to how I was molded as I grew up, I am not alone. They were able to connect me with moms and moms-to-be who provided those pieces of advice, shared the joys of being a mother, and reassured me that while the journey might be bumpy, it is a rewarding and beautiful journey. Being pregnant, let alone being a mother, does not come with an instruction manual. Constantly stressing how to make ends meet to obtain every need of the baby. Clothes, diapers, wipes, bottles. The list is never ending! By the end of the event, Operation Shower helped me walk away with a strong foundation to now grow myself, my baby, and my family. I walked away, not feeling alone.”
Q. What partnerships or collaborations have been most impactful in
helping you reach more military families across the country?
A. Operation Shower is a true labor of love in support of the remarkable, resilient and courageous military families who sacrifice so much for our country. We are deeply humbled by their service and honored by the opportunity to let them know that a grateful nation stands behind them every step of the way.
It truly does take a village! We could not accomplish our mission without the invaluable support of our military partners and the tremendous contributions of our corporate and foundation partners who have sponsored showers year after year—many for more than a decade—as well as many in-kind donors who faithfully contribute their products to delight and uplift our showered moms. And with nearly 500 volunteers donating over 3,000 hours last year alone, our mission continues to grow through an incredible community that believes in celebrating those who serve. We are very grateful to Rylee + Cru Foundation for its exceptional generosity to Operation Shower and so many other worthy causes!
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We are proud to support organizations that are making a positive impact in the lives of military moms and families across the nation. Submit an application to recommend a 501(c)(3) non-profit making a difference in your community and each month we’ll select one to receive a $10,000 grant in your name.
Thank you for joining us in this meaningful work.
