Totus Tuus Posted July 17, 2007 Posted July 17, 2007 JMJ + Dear Pham, I'm organizing a collection of care packages to send to our troops. Has anyone done this? Do you have any tips? What are the best and most needed items to include? What is the best method of shipping? Are there any prohibited items? Will the packages have to go through a border check or anything in the Middle East? Is the success rate with getting care packages over there high? Thanks! Lauren
Totus Tuus Posted July 17, 2007 Author Posted July 17, 2007 Here are some good links so far: [url="http://www.archbishopsheencause.org/military.html"]http://www.archbishopsheencause.org/military.html[/url] [url="http://www.asoldierswishlist.org/sendapackage.php"]http://www.asoldierswishlist.org/sendapackage.php[/url] [url="http://www.asoldierswishlist.org/wishlist.php"]http://www.asoldierswishlist.org/wishlist.php[/url] It's amazing that some of the high-demand items are simple things like Slim Jims, Peanut M&Ms, Chapstick, Velveeta coagulated milk, socks, and bug repellent. They can't just go to the store and get this stuff...
IcePrincessKRS Posted July 17, 2007 Posted July 17, 2007 Yeah, its really the little things they miss, like their favorite snacks. My mom sent my brother boxes of Poppycock (its sort of like cracker jacks, only BETTER!) when he was over in Iraq. Prohibited items would be things like alcohol, cigarettes, and porn (which none of us would be sending anyway!!!). My sister sent her husband everything from potato chips to mouth wash. When you mail a package to a soldier overseas you fill out a WHITE customs form (not the little green ones!) and it only costs you regular US shipping--if the items are a little heavy use the FLAT RATE boxes! They will be a lifesaver on shipping (I sent my husband boxes of candy and beef jerky before we joined him here in Korea, and you wouldn't think so, but candy gets heavy!). No matter what, though, send it USPS Priority mail, NOT parcel post. I think the success rate is quite high, but there is no guarantee what order the packages will arrive in. My brother received all the boxes we sent him, but I know on a couple occasions he wouldn't get his packages in the order we sent them. (Like, we'd send something Jan 1 and something Jan 10 and he'd get the Jan 10 box first.) They might get scanned with an xray machine or something, but I think thats the most "checked" they'd get. I hope that helps! I am sure anyone else who's sent care packages to friends, family, or random soldiers will have more suggestions to add.
homeschoolmom Posted July 17, 2007 Posted July 17, 2007 We have sent care packages to millitary as part of our homeschool co-ops. I was not in charge of arrangements, but we brought things like: beef jerkey, hard candies that won't melt, gum, playing cards, books, snacks. etc. I recently sent a care package to a family (friends of ours) who live overseas. We included water balloons-- but water is probably not something to be wasted in Iraq.
Ora et Labora Posted July 17, 2007 Posted July 17, 2007 (edited) Ooops this is Totus Tuus. Logging out. Edited July 17, 2007 by Ora et Labora
Totus Tuus Posted July 17, 2007 Author Posted July 17, 2007 Thanks you two! hsmom, I noticed that Peanut M&Ms and Fudge are wanted by the troops. We had the concern about melting as well.... I am not sure why they would be on the list... IcePrincess: Grrreat tips.
T-Bone _ Posted July 17, 2007 Posted July 17, 2007 M&Ms melt in your mouth, not in your hand. They shouldn't melt. I'm not sure about fudge though...
Totus Tuus Posted July 17, 2007 Author Posted July 17, 2007 [quote name='T-Bone _' post='1332625' date='Jul 17 2007, 02:24 PM']M&Ms melt in your mouth, not in your hand. They shouldn't melt. I'm not sure about fudge though...[/quote] :
missionarybelle Posted July 17, 2007 Posted July 17, 2007 you could send it in a ziploc and they could pour it into their mouths.... ha ha they might just be glad that it still tasted good...
Totus Tuus Posted July 17, 2007 Author Posted July 17, 2007 [quote name='missionarybelle' post='1332710' date='Jul 17 2007, 04:17 PM']you could send it in a ziploc and they could pour it into their mouths.... ha ha they might just be glad that it still tasted good...[/quote] True, true
IcePrincessKRS Posted July 17, 2007 Posted July 17, 2007 Totally true! My mom made my brother no-bake cookies and sent them... they got pretty much crushed to smithereens with all the bouncing around the package got so when he got them it was basically chocolate powder in baggies. He shared them with his friends and they just poured it in their mouths from the baggies (I think he said they were gone in less than a minute lol). They didn't care that they were crushed, just getting it was the important thing.
let_go_let_God Posted July 18, 2007 Posted July 18, 2007 Also do NOT send hygiene items with food items. Otherwise that fudge may begin to taste like soap or deodorant. God bless- LGLG
homeschoolmom Posted July 20, 2007 Posted July 20, 2007 pack things in separate ziplock bags... food in one, soap in another.
Totus Tuus Posted July 20, 2007 Author Posted July 20, 2007 I heard about a drive once where each donor put certain things in a shoebox (everyone contributed the same items, same quantities), and then the shoeboxes were sent over in larger boxes. Is that what you guys would suggest?
homeschoolmom Posted July 20, 2007 Posted July 20, 2007 If you don't know of someone to send to, you could contact your diocese and see if any of the priests are chaplains... we did that. Then we sent him a box of stuff (goodies, snacks, playing cards, etc) along with religous items. He said that it was great. He was able to distribute the items among the men and women he serves with. "Come to confession and get a Lifesaver!!!"
Justin86 Posted July 20, 2007 Posted July 20, 2007 That is awesome that you guys want to send care packages! Would it be possible for you to get with an elementary school in your area and have the kids write them letters? They love that stuff. Warms hearts. Hygiene/food items are a great idea too. In either case don't worry so much about what you send. To us it's just awesome to know someone is thinking about you. Especially if it's a complete stranger! A girl in the clinic I work at here in Japan is having her church back in Washington State send all of us care packages! I don't know who any of these people are but it's still awesome that they're thinking of me! Kudos to everyone sending care packages. Yall are too cool.
IcePrincessKRS Posted July 22, 2007 Posted July 22, 2007 [quote name='Justin86' post='1335736' date='Jul 20 2007, 02:41 PM']That is awesome that you guys want to send care packages! Would it be possible for you to get with an elementary school in your area and have the kids write them letters? They love that stuff. Warms hearts.[/quote] I remember doing this during the Gulf War. We were homeschooled, though... but all of us old enough to write had a whole pack of note cards and used them all for different soldiers. My sister was the only one who got a reply, and she corresponded with the guy throughout the duration of his stay over there. We all thought it was SO cool. He even sent her some of the local currency. I was a little jealous that none of the "soldies" I wrote to wrote me back (I misspelled "soldier" in one my my cards and my mom teased me about it lol).
Megz Posted July 22, 2007 Posted July 22, 2007 One thing that you should be aware of is that some things you send (many things beside the food) will may never be used. I've heard numerous stories from military men who get things...and simply save them as tokens of being loved. EG: the guy or gal with the biggest pile of stuff is the most loved. Getting this information saddened me but it was also an eye opener as to how much these guys just want a little bit of love. Hey Justin, if you're in the Marines look out for Trammel, she's a dangerous red-head soon to be in Okinawa
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