Last spring, U.S. Army Specialist Corey Betrix wasn’t sitting in a comfy chair inside his Stafford Township home with his family. He was in an undisclosed location in the Middle East, serving the country.

Still, he felt the presence of home. He received a box from Operation Jersey Cares. It included some of his favorite things, such as Werther’s caramel candies and oatmeal cream pies, along with cards made by his son Gannon’s hands, as well as those of other students in McKinley School…