Key Points

• Employees at Marathon Petroleum Corporation’s Dickinson Renewable Diesel Facility in North Dakota volunteered together to pack Hero Boxes for deployed U.S. service members.
• Shortly after the new year began, team members came together to assemble personalized care packages filled with essentials, snacks and handwritten notes.
• According to HeroBox, the program has grown from a small weekend project into an initiative that has reached more than 1 million military heroes.

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Employees at Marathon Petroleum’s Dickinson Renewable Diesel Facility in North Dakota teamed up to support the nonprofit organization HeroBox by assembling care packages filled with essentials and personal notes for deployed U.S. service members. The volunteer effort offered a simple yet meaningful way to show appreciation for those serving far from home.

Created through HeroBox.org, each package includes everyday essentials, comfort items, snacks and handwritten notes, offering a powerful reminder that people back home are thinking of them.

During the event, team members packed a total of 40 care bags, filling eight boxes now headed to two overseas locations, including troops stationed aboard a U.S. Navy ship. Employees also wrote personalized notes of encouragement, turning an ordinary day at the facility into something memorable and deeply personal, rooted in gratitude for those who serve and a shared desire to give back.

“This was such a special way for us to kick off the new year, coming together as a team to support those who serve and who are far from home,” said Tammy Haugen, Analytical Processor at the Dickinson Renewable Diesel Facility, who also helped coordinate the event. “Whether you’re a veteran, have a loved one currently serving, or, like so many Marathon volunteers who came out for this event, simply want to give back, coming together gives us a chance to show even the smallest amount of gratitude to our service members and let them know they are not alone and how much we appreciate what they do for us and our country.”

“Whether you’re a veteran, part of a military family, or just someone who wants to give back, simply showing up and doing something together can make a real difference.”

Katy Saunders, Program Director at HeroBox, who worked closely with the Marathon team to organize the local event and ensure the boxes were safely on their way to their designated locations, said moments like these are what HeroBox is all about.

“Every box tells a service member they’re seen and supported,” Saunders said. “No matter the size, or whether it’s the first or one of many, events like the one this Marathon team put together bring that message to life, and we’re grateful for their generosity and heart.”

Nearly 20 employees came together in support of the effort, and the impact was felt long after the last box was packed. Days later, team members were still talking about the experience, from the planning behind the scenes to the pride they felt seeing it all come together.

“For our entire team, I don’t think we could have partnered with a better organization, knowing the mission we were supporting together,” said Ivy Pokorny, Senior Time Scheduling Coordinator at the Dickinson facility, who also helped coordinate the event with HeroBox. “It just feels really good to know something we did together here can help service members overseas feel appreciated, connected and supported.”