Military care packages

[snowwhite84]

Hi all! Had a thought and wanted to share. I was searching the Internet for ideas for inexpensive, homemade holiday gifts, and found a site talking about holiday care packages for troops. I know this is a popular project for a lot of people, but I've never really thought much about trying it. I don't think I know even one person serving, but for some reason this time the idea really stuck with me.

I'd like to get involved and I found a list online of wanted items for these packages. It struck me as funny because a lot of the items are things I sign up for on the freebie thread or little things we all seem to collect from hotels etc and always have around the house.

I wonder if there might be a way for Disers to unite a bit and create some packages together. I'm Jewish, and in Judaism there's no higher mitzvah (good deed) than one when the donation is anonymous. Well, there's no more anonymous community than the Internet community, is there? Not sure how we would organize, any thoughts? If not, maybe this will inspire someone to make a package of their own to send off.

Here's how it was posted online:

For the list below, when it comes to any ‘cleaning’ kinds of items you plan to include in military care packages for the holidays (see our previous posts on military care packages here and here), please be mindful to keep the amounts to small quantities. Remember, you are usually providing care items for small teams.

Below is a list of popular and most sought items:
Baby Wipes (small quantities)
Magazines
Bars of soap
Snacks (crackers, peanut butter, cheese crackers, etc)
Cushion Socks (military black/brown)
Small packets
of juice (Capri sun, apple juice, etc)
Toothpaste (travel size)
Cans of fruit
Tooth Brushes (just a few)
Floss Tobacco products (dip/smokes)
Razor Blades (MACH 3, etc)
A real football (or 2)
Hand Sanitizer
Board games (monopoly, risk, jigsaw puzzles, Sudoko, etc.)
Gold Bond Foot Powder
Gummy Bears
Shaving Cream (travel sizes)
Pringles (salt/vinegar, sour cream onion
Lysol
Candies (Skittles/Starburst/Jolly Ranchers)
Sour Patch
Gatorade Powder
Beef Jerky
Poker Chips
Playing Cards
Time Magazine
DVD’s (action/comedy)

Remember! The holidays will be here before you know it. We thank you, in advance, for supporting our U.S. troops no matter where they may be across the globe!

 

[Sosai X]

Another option is to sponsor a care package through the USO.

https://www.uso.org/donate/custom.aspx?id=565&

Either way, it's a good way to build the morale of our Warfighters, wherever they might be deployed.

It can get scary out there. The Colonel in charge of the agency I work for was recently deployed to Iraq for a year. A recent email from him said that shells hit near their base several times a day.

 

[VroomVroomLightning]

Just to remind you if you want to send out a care package for the holidays and want it to reach them in time, they generally recommend it being out by the first week of December if not sooner. If you are just sending out a care package just because, then anytime will do. I send out care packages often to my "adopted" soldiers. The best way to do it is to get the APO/FPO flat rate boxes from UPS and fill those boxes as much as possible. After sending packages for awhile it is amazing what can fit in such a smaller box. I am not sure if I am allowed to post a link to another forum on here? But if so, I know a great site where you can "adopt" a solider and talk to them all year long through letters and send care packages if you are able too! This is such a cool idea!

 

[VirataMama4]

Just to remind you if you want to send out a care package for the holidays and want it to reach them in time, they generally recommend it being out by the first week of December if not sooner. If you are just sending out a care package just because, then anytime will do. I send out care packages often to my "adopted" soldiers. The best way to do it is to get the APO/FPO flat rate boxes from UPS and fill those boxes as much as possible. After sending packages for awhile it is amazing what can fit in such a smaller box. I am not sure if I am allowed to post a link to another forum on here? But if so, I know a great site where you can "adopt" a solider and talk to them all year long through letters and send care packages if you are able too! This is such a cool idea!

Hi, I was wondering if you could PM me the site to adopt a soldier!

 

[VirataMama4]

Hi all! Had a thought and wanted to share. I was searching the Internet for ideas for inexpensive, homemade holiday gifts, and found a site talking about holiday care packages for troops. I know this is a popular project for a lot of people, but I've never really thought much about trying it. I don't think I know even one person serving, but for some reason this time the idea really stuck with me.

I'd like to get involved and I found a list online of wanted items for these packages. It struck me as funny because a lot of the items are things I sign up for on the freebie thread or little things we all seem to collect from hotels etc and always have around the house.

I wonder if there might be a way for Disers to unite a bit and create some packages together. I'm Jewish, and in Judaism there's no higher mitzvah (good deed) than one when the donation is anonymous. Well, there's no more anonymous community than the Internet community, is there? Not sure how we would organize, any thoughts? If not, maybe this will inspire someone to make a package of their own to send off.

Here's how it was posted online:

For the list below, when it comes to any ‘cleaning’ kinds of items you plan to include in military care packages for the holidays (see our previous posts on military care packages here and here), please be mindful to keep the amounts to small quantities. Remember, you are usually providing care items for small teams.

Below is a list of popular and most sought items:
Baby Wipes (small quantities)
Magazines
Bars of soap
Snacks (crackers, peanut butter, cheese crackers, etc)
Cushion Socks (military black/brown)
Small packets
of juice (Capri sun, apple juice, etc)
Toothpaste (travel size)
Cans of fruit
Tooth Brushes (just a few)
Floss Tobacco products (dip/smokes)
Razor Blades (MACH 3, etc)
A real football (or 2)
Hand Sanitizer
Board games (monopoly, risk, jigsaw puzzles, Sudoko, etc.)
Gold Bond Foot Powder
Gummy Bears
Shaving Cream (travel sizes)
Pringles (salt/vinegar, sour cream onion
Lysol
Candies (Skittles/Starburst/Jolly Ranchers)
Sour Patch
Gatorade Powder
Beef Jerky
Poker Chips
Playing Cards
Time Magazine
DVD’s (action/comedy)

Remember! The holidays will be here before you know it. We thank you, in advance, for supporting our U.S. troops no matter where they may be across the globe!

If there is someway for us to unite and do this I'm in!

 

[d1sneyf4n]

Where do you send the packages to? I would love to make up a care package.

 

[hrslvr142]

As a mom of a Marine (2 deployments done, 1 more soon) I want to thank you all for considering this for our military. Many get care packages from families and friends but there are those that don't so that is where you all come in. I want to encourage you to include a note or two of encouragement along with whatever goodies you send to them, it can get pretty lonely so far from home regardless of it being a holiday or not.

God bless you.

 

[lovemygoofy]

In addition to the USO website you can use this two websites to adopt soldiers. They will provide the name and address of the military person. If you don't really want to make the actual package you can purchase made boxes to mail to the APO including Hickory Farms.



http://www.adoptaussoldier.org/

http://www.soldiersangels.org/

 

[VroomVroomLightning]

Where do you send the packages to? I would love to make up a care package.

You used to be able to send them to just an unknown name and it make it to a soldier, but now you can't do that. Now you have to have the name and address of an exact soldier to be able to do so.

 

[MomtoGKC]

Do you guys know any other companies besides Hickory Farms that mail military packages? I knwo someone who was just deployed and would love to send her something. I'll make packages on my own but thought it would be fun to send from a real store, too.

 

[VroomVroomLightning]

Do you guys know any other companies besides Hickory Farms that mail military packages? I knwo someone who was just deployed and would love to send her something. I'll make packages on my own but thought it would be fun to send from a real store, too.

A lot of stores will as far as I know... I know Kohl's does for sure and I am pretty sure Wal-Mart does too..

 

[JB2K]

For those of you organizing to send goodies to our troops overseas, just remember to send it to someone in particular (in other words, don't send it to a generic person (i.e., "any soldier") -- otherwise, your efforts will end-up in the military overseas mail dead letter office in New Jersey).

Also, take it from someone who's been there -- if you really want to bring a smile to a servicemember's face, send them a gift certificate for them to buy something they really want. In recent years, this program has been expanded to where anyone can purchase these certificates.

Details are at the AAFES website.

 

[devores]

Just wanted to throw some info out there to help with this endevour. Being military, I think this is a great idea and wished more people would show thier support for our troops, both home and abroad. Remember, just because someone is stationed in the US doesnt mean that they are not separated from thier families as well.
-snippet from USPS.gov-

Bringing the Holidays to Military Men and Women
Recommended Mailing Dates to APO/FPO Addresses
WASHINGTON — For military service members stationed around the globe, holiday gifts are a big morale boost. To help the families and friends of U.S. military personnel, the Postal Service offers a discount on its largest Priority Mail Flat Rate box.

The recommended mailing date for the most economical postage to overseas military installations, including Iraq and Afghanistan, is Nov. 13.

Mail sent to overseas military addresses is charged only domestic mail prices. The domestic mail price for the Priority Mail Large Flat Rate Box is $13.95, but for packages to APO/FPO addresses overseas the price is reduced to $11.95. Additional discounts are available for customers printing their Priority Mail postage labels online at Click-N-Ship.

Flat-Rate boxes are free at any Post Office, or can be ordered online at shop.usps.com. Postage, labels and customs forms can be printed online any time using Click-N-Ship.

The Postal Service continues to show support to those serving in the armed forces by offering free Military Care Kits, designed specifically for military families sending packages overseas. The mailing kits can be ordered by phone by calling 1-800-610-8734 and asking for the Care Kit. Each kit includes two “America Supports You” large Priority Mail Flat-Rate boxes, four medium-sized Priority Mail Flat-Rate boxes, six Priority Mail labels, one roll of Priority Mail tape and six customs forms with envelopes.

For online ordering of the Large Priority Mail APO/FPO Flat Rate boxes featuring the “America Supports You” logo and APO/FPO addressing block, Click here. More information about mailing letters and packages to military destinations is available online at Supporting Our Troops.

“Mailing holiday gifts to service members early will help insure that a piece of home arrives in plenty of time to make the celebration complete," said Pranab Shah, vice president and managing director, Global Business.

To ensure delivery of holiday cards and packages by Dec. 25 to military APO/FPO addresses overseas, the Postal Service recommends that mail for service members be entered no later than the mailing dates listed below. Mail addressed to military post offices overseas is subject to certain conditions or restrictions regarding content, preparation and handling. APO/FPO addresses generally require customs forms. To see an online table of updated APO and FPO addresses and mailing restrictions by individual APO/FPO ZIP Codes, Click here, select “Pull-Out Information” and click on “Overseas Military/Diplomatic Mail.”

 

[coastiewifern]

Love this posting links on my facebook page to get the word out.

 

[MomtoGKC]

A lot of stores will as far as I know... I know Kohl's does for sure and I am pretty sure Wal-Mart does too..

Thanks - I like the idea that you can send a pre-made package from Hickory Farms. I wonder if other places like Popcorn Factory will do this? I'l have to go look into it.

 

[IMALOVNDISNEY]

Thanks for starting this thread. We just adopted a Soldier in honor of my friends son who will be deployed in Dec.

 

[snowwhite84]

OP here. Thanks to everyone who put up info on where to send, I stumbled upon the list of items but had no idea where to go from there!

 

[MichelleinMaine]

Just a heads up that this may be an older-list. Most of the folks in Iraq (disclaimer I don't know anyone in Afghanistan) have ready access to American shopping facilities. My friend's husband says he appreciates anything people take the time to send, but he's really all set buying his own toothpaste and deodorant.

He loves getting homemade stuff (it can be a crap shoot getting stuff there fresh because it can take 2 days or 2 weeks to get there), local-things (small town newspaper {can't read the weekly online}, candies, coffee, BBQ sauce from local restaurants), granola/power bars they can take on missions. At his post anyway, PSP games and movies are very popular and they swap them out with each other. I also have my girl scouts and a friend's cub scouts make him holiday cards. (Any holiday, Halloween, Thanksgiving...)

Do keep in mind space is at a premium in their living quarters. (He is living in a shipping container with another guy.) Consumable items are best.

I bet if you ask around, you could find someone from your area who is serving. (Makes it easier to know what sort of local things a person might miss.) Perhaps call churches or the local high school to see if there are members/alum who are serving?

 

[momof1princess]

there was an article published recently in my local paper about a military battallion from our area serving in kuwait. they requested pantyhose...yes...pantyhose. they slip them over their weapons to keep the sand out and will wear them to keep the sand fleas off. i thought this was an unusual, but useful request. here's the article-it also contains some useful gift ideas.
http://www.gadsdentimes.com/article/20091023/NEWS/910239969