This Thanksgiving, I'm hopeful that you will join me in thanking our troops and their families who are serving overseas.

It's simple to participate and make a difference. In fact beginning at 6 am EST on Saturday, November 17, and ending at midnight PDT on November 22, Americans can text a message of thanks to 8-9-2-7-9.

Within seconds, the sender will receive a reply on his or her cell phone from America Supports You (ASY). The message will come from a member of the armed forces or a family member of someone who is serving, who will express his or her appreciation for the support, both personally and on behalf of others who are serving.

And it works. I sent my text message a few minutes ago and received two replies from soldiers serving in Iraq.

Because all the major mobile wireless providers—AT&T Wireless (Cingular), Verizon, Sprint (Nextel, Qwest), and T-Mobile—will provide access to the ASY text message program, there is no upcharge.

Members of the military and their families—we now have troops serving in 177 countries—will learn the number of text messages and be able to view many of them.

America Supports You expects this effort to be a unifying moment for the nation, at a time in which families traditionally come together and express gratitude for things large and small that contribute to their lives.

Since its formation two and a half years ago, the America Supports You program has welcomed over 300 grassroots organizations and 35 corporate sponsors to its team. Many America Supports You team members support the troops through letter-writing, sending care packages, helping the wounded when they return home, assisting military families, sending an e-mail or making a kind gesture. To learn more about how you can help, please visit www.AmericaSupportsYou.mil.

Pick up your cell phone and send a message of support to our troops at 8-9-2-7-9. They need to hear from you.