Pizza 4 Patriots delivering 5,500 pizzas to Mideast troops

Once again this Independence Day, Pizza 4 Patriots is delivering pizzas to troops in combat zones with a big assist from DHL Express and Rich Products Corp.

“It's a huge endeavor, but when I see the looks on the faces of our men and women in combat who received these care packages in the past I know it was well-worth the effort,” said retired Master Sgt. Mark Evans of Elk Grove Village, founder of Pizzas 4 Patriots.

“I created this organization to show my support and appreciation for U.S. servicemen and women, and I am grateful for the support of DHL Express and Rich's making this delivery possible,” he said in a news release.

With a special delivery of 5,500 pizza pies, nearly 10,000 troops located in the furthest operating bases in Afghanistan as well as Kuwait will get a taste of home.

Pizzas 4 Patriots was created in 2008 after Evans and his son, Kent, came up with the idea to serve freshly frozen pizzas to U.S. troops serving abroad to show appreciation for their service. Since 2008, DHL has worked with Pizzas 4 Patriots to send more than 155,500 pizzas to U.S. military personnel overseas.

The pizzas this year are provided by Rich Products, a major pizza supplier to the food service industry. DHL Express is donating the staff, infrastructure and resources of its delivery network to get the pizza to Forward Operating Bases in Afghanistan.

“We are pleased that we can do our part to say ‘thank you' to U.S. troops this Fourth of July,” said Mike Parra, CEO of DHL Express U.S.