National program continues the legacy of a service project started by a 15-year-old Orange County student more than two decades ago.

ORANGE, CA, UNITED STATES, September 2, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- A Million Thanks, the national military-support nonprofit founded in Orange, California, by 15-year-old Shauna Fleming, is returning to its youth-led roots with the launch of its nationwide Student Ambassador Corps.

Applications are open to students across the United States who want to develop as leaders, make a meaningful difference in their communities and help strengthen the connection between Americans and the military community. With the September 9, 2026, application deadline quickly approaching, interested students are encouraged to apply now.

Founded in 2004 with the goal of collecting one million letters of appreciation for deployed service members, A Million Thanks has grown from one California teenager’s service project into a nationwide movement. Over the past two decades, the organization has delivered more than 21 million letters and expanded its mission to serve active-duty service members, veterans and military families through meaningful acts of gratitude and service.

The Student Ambassador Corps carries that legacy forward by giving young people the opportunity to transform compassion into action.

“A Million Thanks exists because one student believed she could make a difference,” said Michele Holley, Executive Director of A Million Thanks. “More than two decades later, we want students across the country to understand that their age does not limit their ability to lead. Their ideas, their voices and their willingness to serve can create an impact far beyond their own communities.”

Through the program, Student Ambassadors gain practical leadership experience while creating projects that connect their schools and communities with service members, veterans and military families. Students learn how to organize an idea, bring people together, communicate with community partners and turn a desire to help into measurable action.

The experience is designed to help students strengthen skills that will serve them in college, future careers and community leadership. Ambassadors develop confidence in public speaking, project planning, outreach, fundraising, volunteer coordination and teamwork while receiving guidance and support from A Million Thanks.

Students also become part of a nationwide network of young leaders who share a commitment to service. That connection gives participants the opportunity to exchange ideas, encourage one another and see how individual projects in communities across the country can contribute to a much larger national mission.

The program is especially meaningful because it reflects how A Million Thanks began. What started as a high-school service project in Orange, California, quickly grew beyond one classroom and one community. The Student Ambassador Corps invites a new generation to continue that story by demonstrating what can happen when young people are trusted to lead.

“At its heart, this program is about helping students recognize their own capacity to create change,” Holley said. “They are not simply completing volunteer hours. They are learning how to identify a need, inspire others and lead something that matters. At the same time, they are reminding members of our military community that they are seen, valued and remembered.”

Participation in the Student Ambassador Corps provides students with meaningful service experience, leadership development, national nonprofit experience and a tangible record of community impact. More importantly, it allows them to build genuine connections with the people and communities their projects support.

Applications close September 9, 2026. Interested students should apply now at https://amillionthanks.org/ambassador. Parents, educators and youth leaders are encouraged to share the opportunity before the deadline with students who are ready to lead and serve.

ABOUT A MILLION THANKS

A Million Thanks is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to connecting communities with service members, veterans and their families through meaningful acts of gratitude and service. Founded in Orange, California, in 2004, the organization has delivered more than 21 million letters of appreciation to members of the military community worldwide. Learn more at amillionthanks.org.

Michele Holley
A Million Thanks Inc.
+1 844-645-5849
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