CHRISTMAS Tips & Ideas for our Troops
We realize this may be a lean Christmas for many Americans, but if you'd like to share some thoughts, packages or cheer with our brave military men and women here and abroad .. below are some ideas and tips for sending packages, gift cards or Christmas and holiday cards & e-cards!
Stay safe, Bill & Janet Liebsch info@fedhealth.net
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Important 2011 dates to remember per USPS …
If your package is traveling the slowest way — parcel post — mail it by Nov. 12 to get it there by Dec. 25.
First-class and priority mail for service members stationed should be sent by Dec. 3 for arrival by Christmas (in Iraq and Afghanistan) .. or by Dec. 10 (all other APO/FPO/DPO AE).
The deadline for parcel airlift mail (PAL) is Dec. 1 to contingency locations; all others by Dec. 3 ... and space-available mail (SAM) should be sent by Nov. 26 to all overseas military locations.
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Operation Gratitude seeks to lift morale and put smiles on faces by sending care packages addressed to individual Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines deployed overseas. Operation Gratitude care packages contain food, hygiene products, entertainment items and personal letters of appreciation, all wrapped with good wishes of love and support. Through Collection Drives, Letter Writing Campaigns and Donations of funds for shipping expenses, Operation Gratitude provides civilians anywhere in America a way to express their respect and appreciation to the men and women of the U.S. Military in an active, hands-on manner. www.operationgratitude.com
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Operation USO Care Package enables the public to sponsor a care package and including a personal message to deployed troops around the world. For every $25 donation you make, the USO will send a care package with both needed and requested items valued at approximately $75 to a deployed service member. www.uso.org/operation-uso-care-package.aspx To donate by phone, call 1-800-876-7469
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Red Cross’ "Holiday Mail for Heroes" program solicits cards for the military and their family. Starting this fall and throughout the holiday season, the Red Cross is working with Pitney Bowes to collect and distribute holiday cards to American service members, veterans and their families in the United States and around the world. If you are interested in participating, send cards to:
Holiday Mail for Heroes
P.O. Box 5456
Capitol Heights, MD 20791-5456
For more info (including a list of DO’s & DON’Ts), go to www.redcross.org/holidaymail
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Friends and family of military overseas can send a gift certificate from the Army and Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES), one-shop shops for military personnel worldwide that stock all sort of goods. DON'T KNOW A PERSON TO SEND A GIFT CARD TO? AAFES has links to nonprofits like Red Cross and others who will distribute your Gift Card(s) to military personnel deployed in support of ongoing military operations .. or personnel wounded in action and those seriously ill being treated in military hospitals in the U.S. and overseas. https://shop.aafes.com/gcs/default.aspx
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Soldiers’ Angels helps fund a variety of programs. Scroll down on home page to find a list of year-round projects and teams that can help. www.soldiersangels.org/heroes/index.php
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SupportOurTroops® helps citizens and community minded businesses find constructive ways to show their patriotism and appreciation for those that sacrifice so much to protect our country, our homes, and our families. www.supportourtroops.org
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Christmas For OUR Troops is a Texas-based non-profit organization supporting OUR Troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. All work is accomplished by volunteers. CFOT also sends special boxes to OUR K-9 Friends in military service. www.christmasforourtroops.org
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Let’s Say Thanks is a free service provided by Xerox where people can send messages to U.S. troops stationed around the world. Check out www.letssaythanks.com
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U.S. First Responders Association has an excellent list of Resources for Warriors, Military Families, Leaders and Medical Professionals on USFRA.org
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