Home : Home Schoolers in the Military : What Else Can I Do?

WHAT ELSE CAN I DO?

The men and women who are serving overseas are always happy to receive “tokens” of love and appreciation. Following is information

on filling “care packages” to send in support of deployed troops as well as   

shipping specifics.

Items that might be included in one of these packages:

Prepaid phone cards

Ready-to-eat tuna and chicken salad packages

Breakfast foods

Instant coffee, tea, and hot chocolate packages

Individual snack packages

Knit hats and gloves

T-shirts

Travel-size toiletries

Small containers of Tylenol, Motrin, and Advil

Paper, envelopes, pens, postcards

New DVDs, CDs, and players

Disposable cameras

Puzzle, crossword, and seek-and-find books

The United Services Organization (USO) (operationusocarepackage.org) and U.S. Department of Defense (americasupportsyou.mil) offer ideas for items to cheer and encourage military personnel overseas.

In addition, there are many grassroots organizations that have created sites to suggest ideas as well.  In the December 2-4, 2005, USA WEEKEND, the following were published:

TreatAnySoldier.com offers tips on what soldiers need most and arranges care packages.

YellowRibbonAmerica.com mobilizes communities to help set up local chapters that assist with emergency situations and expenses and provide babysitting services, car repairs, laptops, and more for family members.

AdoptaPlatoon.org provides mail support and promotes patriotism in schools and communities, including humanitarian aid.

OperationMilitaryPride.org distributes troop information to those wanting to send email and care packages.

Stripes.com, the online version of the armed forces’ daily newspaper, Stars and Stripes, will post messages from family and friends to loved ones stationed overseas who may not be coming home for the holidays.

OperationPaperback.org ships books to bases, Navy ships at sea, U.S. military hospitals and USOs.

Most of these organizations were started as a result of individuals seeing needs through either personal experience or that of family members/friends deployed overseas.