Sending soldiers goody boxes

[jerseybarb]

Does anybody have info on where to send goody boxes for soldiers? Also, what could I put in the goody boxes, what would they like

Thanks in advance

[iluvmybaby]

What an AWESOME idea, I am wanting to adopt a soldier myself. Is there anyone who has family overseas here on BBF?

PS what you can and can NOT send depends on their location. Here is a lost of suggestions on what to send. In most Muslim orientated countries, NO pork or porn

http://www.ehow.com/how_4516098_choose-what-send-soldiers-iraq.html?ref=fuel&utm_source=yahoo&utm_medium=ssp&utm_campaign=yssp_art

[candlenutt]

I have a son in law over there, if you want to adopt him! let me know

[newwiccan]

Right now, I don't know anyone who is deployed. They won't be leaving until sometime next year. I hope you find someone!

[candlenutt]

Does anybody have info on where to send goody boxes for soldiers? Also, what could I put in the goody boxes, what would they like

Thanks in advance


Most of them want snacks, baby wipes, drink mixes like u add to a bottle of water, microwavable food, phone cards, dvds,card games, razors, shampoo, tooth paste....to name a few things...

[jasmine]

I know the blue star mothers do ALOT for the soldiers, you could contact one in your area to see about it, they ship boxes and do alot of stuff.

http://www.bluestarmothers.org/mc/page.do?sitePageId=82579&orgId=bsma

[Vee030473]

www.opgratitude.com
www.adoptaplatoon.org They'll send you a soldier's name and addy not a platoon LOL
www.treatthetroops.org

I know many many people deployed for OIF and OEF,as well as Africa and Bosnia. PM if interested!

[Jolie Rouge]

In most Muslim orientated countries, NO pork or porn

Some Muslim countries have a very broad view of "porn" - any magazine with ads featuring bras or undergarments, some soaps, anything where a woman is "lightly clothed" is not acceptable ... so even Family Circle is out... so is Sports Illustrated ( Serena Williams tennis clothes are too revealing... :eek: )


Wish List of Items for Soldier Care Packages


Due to Policies and Regulations, the following items
CANNOT BE SHIPPED and/or ACCEPTED:

HOME-BAKED FOOD
GLASS BOTTLES or GLASS JARS
AEROSOL CANS or SPRAYS
EXPIRED FOOD
CANNED FOOD
LIGHTERS, MATCHES or LIGHTER FLUID
HOTEL SAMPLES
VHS TAPES
CONTRABAND ITEMS (live plants, tobacco, nudity, etc.)
HARD-COVER BOOKS & MUSIC

For security and sanitary reasons, please leave all items in their original packages.

When purchasing items, please choose the latest expiration date possible.

Thank you for your cooperation and support!

Items in PURPLE are the MOST NEEDED & REQUESTED!

FOOD and SNACKS:
• Beef Jerky / Slim Jims
• Coffee (Ground or whole; instant or drip),
• Instant Drink Mixes (Gatorade, Kool-Aid, Crystal Light)
• Pumpkin Seeds / Sunflower Seeds
• Tuna in foil pouches (no cans)
• Protein Powders / Protein Bars / Cliff Bars
• *NO CHOCOLATE PRODUCTS to be mailed from MARCH to OCTOBER (it will melt in high temperatures!)
• Hot Chocolate packets, Herbal teas, Powdered Energy Mixes
• Hard Pretzels / Cheetos / Fritos / Chex Mix / Wheat Thins
• Gum / Hard Candy (must be individually wrapped in large bags)
• Granola Bars / Power Bars / Cereal Bars
• Small Packs of Fig Newtons, Oreos, Cheese & Crackers
• Trail Mix, Dried Fruit, Granola, Fruit Roll-Ups / Fruit By The Foot / Fruit Gummies
• DRY SOUP: (Ramen Noodles / Cup-O-Soup: just add water)
• NUTS: Peanuts, Mixed Nuts (salted preferred)
• MICROWAVE FOOD (Popcorn, Chef-Boy-R-Dee, Mac'n'Cheese...)
• COOKIES / Girl Scout Cookies (with chocolate: Oct. - Feb. only!)
• Rice Krispie Treats (Store-bought only)
• Little Debbies® & Hostess® cake products
• Oatmeal Packs (Instant: just add water)
• Cereal (Small, individual boxes)
• Condiments, Spices; Sugar; Salad Dressing (no glass jars)
• Caffeinated gum or candy (to stay alert)

TOILETRIES: NO HOTEL SAMPLES!
(Note: Some troops have allergies & need Brand Name toiletries which list all ingredients. The military issues toiletries to our troops, however troops often miss their favorite brand of shampoo or soap. Our goal is to send troops reminders of home & items they miss ... not free samples.)
• Baby wipes (travel size)
• Liquid Hand Sanitizer (travel size)]
• Body Wash, Liquid Soap, Facial Cleanser
• Shampoo /Conditioner (travel size)
• Hair Gel (for female troops to pull hair back)
• Combs / Brushes / Bobby Pins
• Eye Drops (i.e. Visine)
• Nasal Spray
• Deodorant (travel size)
• Razors (disposable: "Intuition" or "Mach 3" type)
• Shaving Cream / Shaving Soap (in boxes or tubes; NO CANS of Shaving Cream, please!)
• Cotton Swabs (i.e. Q-tips)
• Band-aids, Gauze Pads, First Aid Kits
• Lip balm / Chap Stick / Carmex / Blistex
• Baby Powder & Foot Powder (travel size)
• Loufa Sponges / Buff Puffs / Washcloths
• Tissues (individual packs; travel size only)
• Sunblock, SPF 45, Zinc, Vitamin E, Aloe Vera Gel
• Bug Spray / DEET / Skin-So-Soft
• Hand & Body Lotion / Moisturizer (travel size)
• Mouthwash (travel size)
• Toothpaste & Toothbrushes & Dental Floss
• Vitamins (multi-vitamins are always needed!)
• Breath Mints / Breath Strips
• Lozenges / Cough Drops
• Nail files / Emery Boards / Nail Clippers
• Feminine Hygiene Products
• Cotton Balls
• Tylenol, Motrin, Advil or Aspirin Packets
• Moleskin
• Shoe Insole Cushions (gel kind is best)

ENTERTAINMENT and SPORTS:
• Batteries: (AA, AAA, C & 9 Volt are the most requested)
• DVD Movies (new or used - recent releases only, please!)
• Xbox Games (new or used)
• PSP, PS2 & PS3 Games (new or used)
• Portable CD players / head phones
• Small homemade gifts - reminders & comforts of "home"
• Small photographs or posters of scenery for their walls
• Pens & mechanical pencils, small notepads
• Stationery & Envelopes; blank cards to send home
• Double-sided tape, small crafts kits, scrapbooking items
• Day planners / Calendars / Small, Pocket Calendars
• Game Books: (Crossword Puzzles / Word Search Books / Math Puzzle books / MAD LIBS / Logic Problems / Sudoku)
• Yo-Yo's, Dominoes, New Playing Cards, poker chips, Dice
• Board games (UNO, Othello, checkers - travel size is great, too!)
• Nerf footballs / Whiffle balls / Mitts / Sports equipment
• Frisbees / Hackey sacks
• Electronic handheld games
• 35 mm disposable cameras
• iTunes® Gift Cards
• Travel Mugs & Thermoses with Lids (for Coffee, Tea & Soup)
• Flash Drives & Thumb Drives for laptop computers

OTHER:
• Linens: Pillow cases, twin sheets, towels (green & tan)
• T-Shirts: Cotton green & tan under shirts (Sizes: M, L & XL)
[Note: The DOD banned "Under-Armor" shirts due to its material being potentially flammable & bad reactions to open wounds.]
• Laundry Detergent: *Refer to http://www.give2thetroops.org/laundry.htm for specific details
• Small Flashlights (battery operated, Surefire preferred)
• Air Fresheners (standalone or car types preferred. Not plug-ins)
• Socks: Black, Olive Green & White (cotton or wool)
• PHONE CARDS - Pre-Paid * Please refer to the following website for specific details (http://www.give2thetroops.org/PhoneCardInfo.htm) for Where to Buy and What Types of Phone Cards to Buy from Third-Party Vendors)
• Small toys & school supplies for Iraqi & Afghan children
• Patriotic knick-knacks, USA flags, flags from your state, bandanas, baseball hats, football jerseys, banners.
• Generic sunglasses (Ballistic, black only. No "mirrored" types)
• Alarm Clocks (Small in size; wind-up or battery-operated)
• Black or Green duct tape, small tool kits, dust masks, carpentry tools, Fly swatters, fly paper, mosquito netting, bug repellant in plastic pump bottles only (NO AEROSOL CANS, PLEASE!)
• Religious booklets, small bibles, inspirational readings
• Small portable heaters & fans (110 voltage okay)
• Winter Hats & Blankets (Yes, it snows in the winter over there!)
• Coffee Makers & Coffee Filters (110 voltage okay)
• Small Coffee Bean Grinders (electric or battery-operated)
• Microwave Ovens (55 lbs max; 110 voltage okay)
• Small Hot Pots
• Elixir & Water Purification Tablets
• Combat Application Tourniquets (black only)
• Holiday Decorations

• K-9 items:
Dog treats, toys, shampoo, flea collars, etc.
* Please refer to the following website for specific details http://www.give2thetroops.org/k9s.htm to see restrictions and guidelines if you wish to donate items to the dogs. Thank you.


• CARDS & LETTERS: The troops love to hear from all of us and mail brightens their days! These are the MOST IMPORTANT items we can send the troops & we can never have too many, so please keep writing! Consider making a patriotic banner or poster to send inside one of our care packages!

http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/fourh/military/docs/Wish%20List%20of%20Items%20for%20Soldier%20Care%20 Packages.doc

[arcel]

you could try sending them to the main head quarters of the soldiers. just place some additional infos.

[MistyWolf]

Jolie, thank you for the list .. my brother is over there right now and I am putting a box together for him. I haven't sent a box since 02' and couldn't remember everything that was asked for, needed or wanted.

[justme23]

One of the things that is very rarely sent is tampons... so even if you are sending to a guy... add a box of tampons to the box that he can share w/ someone else!

[newwiccan]

The military issues toiletries to our troops,

Just curious where you got your info because we have our fifth deployment next year and my husband has never been issued toiletries. Occassionally, the USO at one of the airports will give them tissues and toothbrushes but that's it. I'm also curious why they say no hardcover books or music unless it costs them too much to mail. I sent those in almost every package I've ever sent.

[Bahet]

DH never got any toiletries either. He even had to get his own toilet paper.

If you want, you can send stuff to me too. I'm at an Air Force base and the kids' cub and boy scout troops send packages all the time. They are arranging a shipment of donated Halloween candy and Cub Scout popcorn right now. If interested PM me and I'll get you the address. It's an APO so it doesn't cost any more than mailing in the states.

[Jolie Rouge]

more goodx info at http://hqdainet.army.mil/mpsa and http://www.usps.com/supportingourtroops/

The Post Office has 'flat rate' boxes that are wonderful - each box has a set cost to ship overseas to the APO addresses - you can ship BRICKS and it stays the same price ! The last set we mailed out, we got to the PO and waited in line, cutting up with the clerk and other patrons and - lo and behold - I had the wrong checkbook. Since we had been discussing what we were shipping and different options, everyone in line knew where the boxes were going... and a gentleman behind us paid to ship our stuff ! :hi5

Blue Star Mothers of America http://www.bluestarmothers.org

Help us provide emergency help to U.S. Soldiers & Their Families. http://www.OperationHomefront.net

! Free APO/FPO Military Shipping ! when you send a taste of home to loved ones from HickoryFarms.com http://www.hickoryfarms.com

Community Coffee has specials for shipping to APO/FPO addresses http://communitycoffee.com

[jerseybarb]

I just wanted to say thanks for all your advice

I ended up using http://www.anysoldier.com/

I sent three goody boxes using that site, and sent one box to candlenutt's SIL

[DavidJames]

A number of soldiers ask for jerky/sausages, nuts, and other high-protein items. another common request is for powered drink mix, b/c often soldiers are stationed places where the water isn't palatable.I've often sent snacks in tins or cylinders (pringles, etc) that will hold up well if the boxes they're in take some abuse.


Thanks
_____________
For a unique and select range of soldiers gifts (http://www.military-gifts-specialists.com/military-gifts/soldiers-gifts/), visit Military Gifts Specialists

[azwup05]

A couple of things my son and daughter inlaw liked getting was the better toiletries. Such as moisturizing shave gel, stuff for sensitive skin, and good moisturizers. During the summer they also wanted higher salt snacks like sunflower seeds because they would sweat so much. One thing they said, was that each APO is different as to what may or may not be available to them. The last one they were at had alot of empty shelves at any given time. I do know that when I sent extras, they went into a community box that was shared and appreciated by others too.

[Jolie Rouge]

another common request is for powered drink mix, b/c often soldiers are stationed places where the water isn't palatable

The "single serve" packets are well received...


I've often sent snacks in tins or cylinders (pringles, etc) that will hold up well if the boxes they're in take some abuse.

Tins are GREAT - keep things intact during shiiping; keep things fresher once they arrive, keep bugs and critters *out* and can be passed on to others. Tins are always a bonus in the packages we have sent.

[msginna]

hubby lovessss beef jerky. He finally asked me not to send anymore candy as he has not only the candy I have sent him but there have been boxes of candy from like churches and the like and other peoples boxes. he says there is just a LOT of candy. He has taken up reading so he likes books from a certain author. He likes wipes and uses them when he goes on missions. he has plenty of toothpaste and soap as he got a BUNCH from boxes that were from churches again.

[littlered1]

Great lists everyone! If you use the flat rate boxes at the post office... you get to take $2.00 off of the price as a special military discount. Not sure if this is only for a certain amount of time or will be a general rule.

If you send video games or dvds mark them property of United States Military. They do get passed around among the troops and are often times stolen by the locals and sold back to the troops. Very commen for this to happen.

My daughter was sent over to Afghanistan about a month ago and it has been very hard on all of us so I know how important these packages and letters from home mean to them. She will be there for a year. If anyone would like to have her address, pm me and I will see that you get it. Thanks everyone!

They are also requesting beanie babies and shoes for the local kids. It is the most asked for items.

[Urban Cowgirl]

Great lists everyone! If you use the flat rate boxes at the post office... you get to take $2.00 off of the price as a special military discount. Not sure if this is only for a certain amount of time or will be a general rule.

If you send video games or dvds mark them property of United States Military. They do get passed around among the troops and are often times stolen by the locals and sold back to the troops. Very commen for this to happen.

My daughter was sent over to Afghanistan about a month ago and it has been very hard on all of us so I know how important these packages and letters from home mean to them. She will be there for a year. If anyone would like to have her address, pm me and I will see that you get it. Thanks everyone!

They are also requesting beanie babies and shoes for the local kids. It is the most asked for items.

Oh my.....I have BOXES of beanies that I put up for my girls and am now thinking WTH will I ever do with all of them. PLUS, my girl scout troop is thinking about sending out a care package to end our year. Can you pm her address and I will put some stuff together? Do they care if the shoes are used as long as they are in good condition, or should they be new? Thanks

My dh was 10 years in the Army and it seems strange that we don't know anyone that is deployed right now.

[newwiccan]

. Such as moisturizing shave gel


You're not supposed to mail these because it's an aerosol can.

About the flat rate box... it's only the large flat rate box that has a military discount and it must be addressed to an APO/FPO address.

[msginna]

I have ordered a bunch of flat rate boxes and they will come by mail so I don't always have to pick them up at the post office. We were told no aerosol, no alcohol (that includes that waterless hand soap stuff), no porn of any kind (nothing that shoes boobies either), and DEF no pork products. Like I said his unit is getting bombarded with cady and girl scout cookies (someone mentioned them here so I was reminded). I have a box full of cookies and he says there is PLENTY there.



***** wondering if anyone knows about the YMCA thing. If you are a dependent you can go to the YMCA for free!

http://www.ymca.net/about_the_ymca/military_outreach_initiative.html

[newwiccan]

***** wondering if anyone knows about the YMCA thing. If you are a dependent you can go to the YMCA for free!

http://www.ymca.net/about_the_ymca/military_outreach_initiative.html


It's not for everyone. It's for families not near a military installation.


The Armed Services YMCA and Department of Defense Outreach Initiative offers YMCA memberships to eligible military families and personnel who may not have access to a nearby military facility. Eligible military families and personnel include:

Family members of deployed National Guard and Reservists
Active Duty Independent Duty personnel and their families as approved by their Military Service Headquarters
Relocated spouses and family members of deployed Active Duty personnel

Note: Eligibility is for Title 10 personnel only.

[msginna]

that or.....Family members of deployed National Guard and Reservists or Active Duty Independent Duty personnel and their families as approved by their Military Service Headquarters or Relocated spouses and family members of deployed Active Duty personnel.

I am elgible as hubby is a activated reservist but don't have a YMCA near by. You don't have to be near a instalation.

[newwiccan]

that or.....Family members of deployed National Guard and Reservists or Active Duty Independent Duty personnel and their families as approved by their Military Service Headquarters or Relocated spouses and family members of deployed Active Duty personnel.

I am elgible as hubby is a activated reservist but don't have a YMCA near by. You don't have to be near a instalation.

That's what I said. :)

[msginna]

I just reread what you said lol sorry