Soldier's Sister Brings "Happy Meals" to Iraq

Houston Mom and Sister Creates Connection Between US Soldiers and Iraqi Families

Stephanie Ramirez knew a lot of things when her brother Josh was deployed in January 2007 to Iraq. She knew that she was scared and frightened for her brother's and his platoon's safety. She knew she would miss her "little" brother terribly. She knew that his job was dangerous. Of course all jobs there are dangerous, but at 6 feet 8 inches tall, and having the job of a gunman, he makes a really big target. But one thing she did not know was that several months later she would be trying to establish a non profit organization to bring "Happy Meal" toys to soldier's in Iraq.

After her brother was deployed, she received a few phone calls and some letters from him. Occasionally he would ask for specific items that he missed from home. He really really missed tuna salad sandwiches from Subway. So, she sent him tuna salad and a local Subway in the Northwest Houston area donated packets of mayonnaise. She also tried to include some things from a list distributed by the First Presbyterian Church of Livingston, Texas. The church had suggested that people send: pencil sharpeners, ruled notebook paper, drawing paper, stickers, small jigsaw puzzles, colored pencils, chalk
pencil box or pen pouch, children's scissors, blue or black pens, construction paper, notepads, hot wheels, Frisbees, and plastic slinkys for the soldiers to have available for Iraqi children. The children in Iraq warmly received these items and they were especially useful at school. This sparked an idea for Stephanie. She decided to include in her brother's next care package, not only some of the items suggested by the church but she included some of the plastic toys that are available inside many fast food restaurants children's meals. She thought they would be a cute "joke" to send her brother these toys providing some much needed comic relief.