Operation USA

What Operation USA does

Operation USA is a Los Angeles-based relief and development nonprofit that helps communities recover from disasters and cope with chronic poverty, in the U.S. and abroad. Its work centers on health and education, delivering medical supplies, educational resources and financial aid, with communities guiding where resources go. Its areas of work span disaster relief and recovery, health, education, youth programs, food security and long-term rebuilding.

Richard M. Walden founded the organization in 1979 and continues to lead it. Operation USA reports delivering more than $450 million in aid across 101 countries, and it takes no U.S. government funding, relying entirely on private donors. It describes itself as small and agile, able to reach places larger agencies may not. It was also part of the International Campaign to Ban Landmines, which received the 1997 Nobel Peace Prize.

Charity Navigator rates Operation USA four stars with a score of 99%. CharityWatch gives it an A- and reports that 76% of spending went to programs in the fiscal year ended June 2024, with about $12 spent to raise each $100.

Key facts

• Reports over $450 million in relief and development aid delivered to 101 countries since 1979 (opusa.org/about)
• Funded entirely by private donors, with no government financial support (opusa.org/about)
• Was part of the International Campaign to Ban Landmines, which received the 1997 Nobel Peace Prize (Wikipedia)
• Charity Navigator Four-Star rating with a score of 99%