Items Needed

WE NEED HOLIDAY ITEMS AND DECORATIONS FOR OUR TROOPS! BOXES TAKE A LONG TIME TO SEND, ESPECIALLY DURING THE HOLIDAY SEASON, SO OUR GOAL IS TO COLLECT HOLIDAY DECORATIONS THROUGH THE SUMMER AND EARLY FALL, THEN SHIP THEM OUT BY THE MIDDLE OF NOVEMBER!

Some ideas about what to send! Also...WHAT WE CANNOT SEND!! Please see below.

Treats - Non-perishable Items

The key to sending treats is to make sure they are portable. Soldiers like to be able to carry snacks on them. This means looking for packaging that is smaller and won't burst open easily. You could also include ziplock bags so that your soldier can portion snacks.

  • Snack bars (we send a lot of Moose Crunch Bars)

  • Small, hard containers of snacks

  • Snack cakes

  • Cheese crackers

  • Candy (avoid chocolate)

  • Gum

  • Sunflower seeds

  • Nuts

  • Trail mix

  • Chips of any kind

  • Gummies

  • Hot sauce - packets work great

  • Flavoring packets for water

  • Individual packets of condiments

  • Powdered drink mix

  • Energy bars

  • Beef Jerky

Toiletries

Lots of soldiers say that toiletries are also great to send, but be sure to check-in with your soldier on his or her specific needs. It may not seem that exciting to you, but the soldiers really appreciate receiving personal care items. Here are some things to send:

  • Toothbrushes

  • Toothpaste

  • Shaving lotion

  • Disposable razors

  • Shampoo

  • Mouthwash

  • Baby wipes

  • Lip Balm/gloss

  • Lotion

  • Pain relievers

  • Eye drops

  • Foot powder

  • Sunscreen

  • Glass cleaner or lens cleaning cloths (for cleaning sand off their glasses)

  • Finger nail clippers

  • Q-Tips

  • First aid kits

Entertainment

Entertainment options are great to send as soldiers have downtime to spend while they are not out on a mission.

  • Board games

  • Cards

  • iPod or thumb drives with movies, music and pictures

  • Puzzles

  • Baseball gloves/baseballs

  • Batteries (AAs and AAAs)

  • Pencils

  • 3M wall hooks

Other Items

Other items that are frequently requested:

  • Ankle socks, boot socks, and work gloves.

  • AAA batteries are also in demand

  • High-quality socks (I have to put this first, because some high-quality socks will make the toughest soldier smile with delight)

What not to Send

Not everything is suitable for a care package. Here’s a few things to avoid:

  • DON’T send adult entertainment, alcohol or drugs (these items are illegal and can get the soldier in trouble)

  • DON’T send aerosols or pressurized products

  • DON'T send firearms or ammunition (we're already armed and this is illegal)

  • DON’T send perishable foods

  • DON’T send an entire box of the same thing unless requested (variety is a good thing)

Overall, keep in mind that whatever you send may not make it in the condition you expect. Along the way, things might get wet, break, freeze or be in shipping containers for a period of time.