NYPD officers gifted with care packages, handwritten 'thank you' letters

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NYPD officers in the 83rd precinct of Brooklyn received a welcome surprise on Monday when Operation Gratitude delivered care packages with handwritten "thank you" letters. 

The nonprofit plans to deliver care packages to all 36,000 members of the NYPD before the 20th anniversary of 9/11 later this year. 

"In regards to what you see out in the street, what you face every day, there is a tremendous amount of people in the city of New York and around the country who support what we do and truly care, and this a reminder to tell our officers, 'You know what? People do care what you do,'" NYPD Health and Wellness Unit Deputy Inspector Mark Wachter told News 12 New York on Monday. 

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Operation Gratitude plans to deliver care packages to all 36,000 members of the NYPD before the 20th anniversary of 9/11 later this year.  (NYPD/Detective Christopher Roskosky)

Handwritten "thank you" cards were given to NYPD officers on Monday in the 83rd precinct of Brooklyn North.  (NYPD/Detective Christopher Roskosky)

So far, Operation Gratitude has given care packages to NYPD officers in Queens North, Manhattan North, Bronx, Staten Island and Brooklyn North. 

"As someone who served in the military for 20 years, I didn't fully understand or comprehend what our police firefighters and EMTs do on a day-to-day basis," CEO Kevin Schmiegel told News 12 New York. "They go away from their families every day not knowing if they'll make it home that night."

Operation Gratitude gave care packages to National Guard members at the Javitz Center on Saturday.  (NYPD/Detective Christopher Roskosky)

On Saturday, Operation Gratitude gave out care packages to National Guard troops at the Javitz Center in Manhattan. 

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Since the first care packages were sent to service members in Iraq in March 2003, the organization has sent more than 3.2 million of them to troops and first responders around the world.