When our troops go overseas to protect our freedoms, many of them are leaving family members behind. If they have a spouse and kids at home, they are likely missing out on their family’s activities: first day of school, kids school programs, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and sometimes even the birth of their own children. Plus, their spouses must take care of all the chores at home without the help of their wife or husband for months at a time, even a year.
So, what can we do to help those who are putting their lives at risk and sacrificing time with their families? There are several ways….
- Send a prepaid phone card to a troop overseas through the USO so s/he can call his/her family
- Send a soldier a gift magazine subscription
- Send expired coupons to soldiers overseas. They can use the coupons in their base stores for six months after the coupon has expired. The Happy Housewife has more information here.
- Send a care package to a soldier. If you don’t know anyone, here’s a site where you can get an address, and they will distribute your care package to a soldier who doesn’t get mail. The last day to send a priority mail package to APO/FPO addresses is 12/11. The US Postal Service has a large flat rate priority mail box (the box is free and you can pick it up at your post office) for $10.95 in shipping to APO/FPO addresses.
- Send cards to soldiers through the Red Cross Holiday Mail for Heroes program. Cards need to be postmarked by 12/10. Thanks Cindy for the info!
Do you have any more ideas to support the troops during this holiday season?
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Corrie is a "cents"able wife and stay-at-home mom of 2 boys.
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These are all great ideas. I love the idea of sending expired coupons to soldiers because I have plenty of them!
You can also send cards to soldiers through the Red Cross Holiday Mail for Heroes program. Go here for info: http://www.redcross.org/pressrelease/0,1077,0_314_8382,00.html
Cards need to be postmarked by Dec. 10, so you’ll need to do that one asap.
I agree. These are excellent ideas. There are so many things that we can do to show our support. I think that sending a prepaid phone card is a great idea so that they can talk to their family and friends during the holidays.
Thanks so much for letting your readers know about Holiday Mail for Heroes! On behalf of my colleagues at Pitney Bowes and the American Red Cross, I wanted to share the following video to thank you for all of your support in helping us surpass our goal of delivering one million cards to US service members, veterans and military families. We could not have done it without you! Thanks so much!