Please reach out to a regional representative near you for more information.
Midwest Representative: midwest.rep@operationfriendship.us
New England Representative: new.england.rep@operationfriendship.us
Please reach out to a regional representative near you for more information.
Midwest Representative: midwest.rep@operationfriendship.us
New England Representative: new.england.rep@operationfriendship
Adult Travel Advisors must apply to indicate interest, and are carefully interviewed. Once chosen, they gather for training in order to prepare for travel and situations that may arise, as will happen with groups of teens. OFA considers your child’s experience and their care its guiding priorities.
O.F. is nothing without its members, specifically its youth delegates and their families. If you know of a new place we can plant a U.S. chapter, we ask that you reach out through our Contact Form so that we may provide all necessary information and next steps!
The amazing thing about Operation Friendship is that it is intentionally designed as a short term travel program. Our travel groups spend about 2 ½ weeks together, start to finish. This travel structure is a great opportunity to test out international travel and get a feel for a study abroad program, all without the homework!

While each individual or family is responsible for paying installment fees in the months leading up to the travel year, each chapter also conducts fundraising throughout the months leading up to the summer hosting period. Operation Friendship believes so strongly in the power of intercultural exchange that we want it to be affordable to as many families as possible!
Our program is unique in that the hosting chapter covers all costs for traveling delegates upon arrival. Average cost to host is around $2,000 per delegate. Thus, during a hosting year, fundraising efforts are aimed at covering activity expenses for the visiting delegates as well as the hosting delegates.
During the travel year, however, fundraising is aimed at covering our own delegates’ travel costs. The average cost of travel is close to $2,200, but is dependent on fluctuations in airfare. Fundraising is instrumental in offsetting these costs. Once your child arrives to their host country, activity costs are covered.
Activity fundraising does not include discretionary spending money.
Each chapter varies in terms of the specific fundraisers they choose to pursue, however there are a few that traditionally occur year after year for our chapters:
- Bake Sales
- Car Washes
- Holiday Greenery Sales
- Greeting Card Sales
- School Dances
- Soup Lunches
- Community Breakfasts & Dinners
- Super Bowl Football Squares
- Easter Egg Hunts
- Restaurant Give Back Nights

Operation Friendship of America has documented Delegate Protection Procedures and a designated Delegate Protection Agent. Hosting families must have all adult members in their household undergo background checks. Each European chapter also has their own delegate protection policies.
Each travel cohort of delegates is assigned an adult travel advisor. This travel advisor stays with the youth delegates for the duration of their trip, from meeting up at the airport, flying to and from locations, and participating in all planned events.
Each youth delegate is assigned a host family, who hosts the delegate in their home. Delegates are always guaranteed their own bed, though there is always a possibility that they share a room with their youth host.
In the modern world of technology, communication is accessible overseas in many ways! Normally, families use iMessage, WhatsApp, Group Me, etc, to communicate back and forth.
All youth delegates & travel advisors must participate in a mandatory travel training, hosted by their region representatives (Midwest or New England). Travel training for youth delegates consists of one full day of training over expectations, rules, tips, etc, for the journey. Travel training for travel advisors takes over the span of a few sessions to ensure they are adequately prepared to travel with minors, handle any potential conflict and assist in international travel responsibilities.

FAQ