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Care Packages For The Troops

“We Care” For The Troops

For The Troops is a non-profit organization that sends care packages year round to Troops station overseas. This all-volunteer outfit sends “We Care” packages containing toiletries, games, and other items to our service members serving away from home.

For The Troops started in 2005 and it has delivered over 250,000 packages to troops stationed overseas. They send packages anywhere in the world, and not every package has a known recipient.

If you have a loved one overseas, you can Request a Care Package on their behalf. Simply head to the link, fill out the information concerning the recipient, then enter your information. For The Troops will then prepare and ship a care package for you along with any message you’d like to include.

RELATED: Combat Cookies for the Troops

Help For The Troops

As an all-volunteer organization, there are no paid staff members. Which is why For The Troops relies solely on the donations of others in the community who want to help care for the troops overseas.

Make A Donation

All monetary donations are used to cover the costs of sending packages to troops overseas. This includes not only the shipping fees, but also the boxes and the goodies that go inside of them. In fact, For The Troops uses 95% of the monetary donations to cover shipping expenses.

Write A Letter

With every package they send, For The Troops likes to send letters, cards, and even pictures from coloring books. There are some guidelines for sending letters, though, so be aware of these before you send something in:

    • Address the letter to Freedom Fighter or American Hero
    • Send letters with messages that are uplifting and positive
    • Thank them for protecting our country
    • Provide a mailing address so the Troop can write you back
    • Mail the finished letters to:
      • For The Troops
      • P.O. Box 12
      • Simi Valley, CA 93062

This is a great project for a classroom, a scout troop, or a sports team! They even have a downloadable Letter Writing Guide you can use.

Sponsor A “We Care” Package

When you choose to sponsor a box, then you’re funding the supplies and toiletries that go in the box and the shipping fees for the package. You’ll simply fill out your information and a message you’d like to send to whomever gets the box.

The cost to sponsor a box is $25, and you can sponsor up to six packages at a time. Keep in mind, sponsoring these boxes are for service members you don’t know. To send a box to someone you know, use the Request a Care Package link.

CardsDirect.com Purchases

Cards Direct has partnered with For The Troops and will donate 20% of their profits from the sale of their For The Troops Cards. These cards are great additions to the care packages.

Amazon Smile Donations

When you shop through Amazon Smile, you have the power to send 0.5% of the purchase price to the charity of your choosing. This donation is directly from Amazon and does NOT get passed down to you through the checkout process.

Since For The Troops is a nonprofit organization, they are eligible to receive Amazon Smile donations. So, if you shop on Amazon as often as I do, then this is a great way to passively support For The Troops.

Contacting For The Troops

For The Troops is open Monday through Thursday and Saturday from 9am to noon. There are a few ways to contact them:

  • Use the Contact Us web form
  • Call at (805) 306-0830
  • Write to For The Troops, P.O. Box 12, Simi Valley, CA 93062

I know I greatly appreciated the packages I received during my deployments. Some of them were random packages from places like For The Troops, and it really does improve the morale of a deployed service member.

Please consider supporting this organization as they support our troops overseas.

 

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About the author

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Julie Provost is a freelance writer, and blogger. She lives in Tennessee with her National Guard husband and three boys.