For those that are sending priority mailed items, the post office now offers a flat rate box up to 70 pounds to anywhere in the United States for $7.70 this also includes packages being mailed to service people overseas.
This is really great for me as I have a son in Afghanistan and it was costing me a small fortune to ship packages. Just go to USPS Store. Click on Shipping Supplies. Once you have done that, click on Priority Mail,
By imaqt1962
Here are the questions asked by community members. Read on to see the answers provided by the ThriftyFun community.
My husband and a friend recently was deployed to Iraq as civillians attached to military units. My friends and family are wanting to put together simple little care packages for their units and want to try to send one in time for Thanksgiving and one for Christmas.
A good place to go is http://www.adoptaplatoon.org . Once you join you can send pkgs to the chaplains for distribution and they give out requests for the items most needed by the soldiers. Some are in remote posts and have no PX.
A friend of mine looked up some information about good items to send as we are in the process of organizing some packages to send as well. Here are a few ideas:
Food Items (bought)
Tea bags
Apple cider mix
Beef Jerky
Trail mix and nuts
Cereal bars
Microwave popcorn
Pop-Tarts
Ramen noodles, Cup-O-Noodles or Cup-O-Soup
Instant Oatmeal or Cream of Wheat
Breath mints
Candy (chocolate will melt)
Toiletries
Socks
Zip-lock bags (any size)
Batteries
Unscented lotion
Lip Balm
Toothbrushes and paste
Soap
Wet wipes
Anti-bacterial gel
Razors
Foot powder
Envelopes and paper
Fun Things
Hand-held games
Board games
Travel games
Puzzle and word games
Playing cards
Yo-Yo's
Nerf balls
Velcro darts
Music CD's
Christmas decorations
Books
Things Not Allowed
Pork products
Perishable foods such as fruits, meats, veggies
Some items mentioned that ship well are Chex mix, Rice Krispy treats, date bars, gooey brownies. Generally, moist cookies hold up much better and should be wrapped individually in plastic wrap in addition to putting them into another container.
Hope this helps you get started.
Trudy Powell
Independent Watkins Assoc. #357561
trudypowell@sbcglobal.net (request a catalog)
booksforsoldiers.com/
--they post requests here :)
great people too !
You might want to make up stockings for the troops and fill them with things like chapstick, insect bite prevention towels, hand cream, small pocket size tissues, snack food items, etc. but best of all is home baked cookies and candies. Be sure to select types that will last for a couple of weeks or more. Vacuum pack food items if possible or at least put them in zip lock bags then put them inside containers such as coffee cans, potato chip containers, tins, etc.
Avoid any products with pork in them (not allowed in the country) and also avoid candies or cookies that can't take high temperatures. I also suggest you don't try to send any liquid items. They weigh too much and sure make a mess when spilled and I have even had plastic bottles of shampoo burst. I had a jar of homemade jelly my mom sent me that was wrapped in a tea towel then in a large ziplock then in bubble wrap that arrived broken and the jelly was on several items in the box. What a mess. Use the strongest cardboard box you can find to mail the items and tape them securely. You will also have to provide a detailed list of the contents of the box on the custom slip when you mail the box. When they are shipped, they will probably be placed on a pallet with many other boxes and put on an airplane. If your box happens to be on the bottom of the stack, it might have to bear a lot of weight.
Someone who sews can make a cool bandana with the polymer type filling that can be soaked in water and they would probably be appreciated by all. Just think of what you would want if you were outside working in a hot, dry, dusty climate. Please don't forget to include a card(s) with a message telling them how much we appreciate them. Also include your name, address, and e-mail if you have one so they know who sent the items.
I worked overseas in the middle east and when my family would send me cookies, I shared them with my friends and we were delighted even when they arrive as a bundle of crumbs. We all especially appreciated the home baked items most.
Yvonne
q-tips are a much needed item(they also use them to clean their guns) as are panty liners(yes i know it sounds funny,but they use them inside their helmets to help absorb the sweat) tooth brushes,dvd's, heavy socks, flea collars,
sunscreen ,sunglasses, bath soap,are some of the items my son requested in afganistan,pre-sweetened drinks(crystal light now makes the portable packages to just add to bottled water)granola bars.
i've also posted some recipes a week or so ago on this site of recipes to send overseas
www.marinesparents.com can give you ideas too of things to send even if your person isn't a marine.
sorry, one other thing... you can get free shipping boxes from the postal service by going to their website and reqesting them. they have flat rate boxes that you can use that only cost $7.70 to mail no matter what the weight.
priority mail should be used as regular mail can take up to a month or more to get to them priority mail is put on planes first then regular mail
http://www.doubledutchgirl.com
http://www.operationuplink.org
http://www.operationsandbox.com
are sites that are willing to send care packages to those overseas
my prayers to you on your husband's safe return. my son will be going there in march of 2006
I use to send my husband (Desert Storm) tuna and the cans of fish fillets, vienna sausages, baby wipes (good when no showers are available for days), canister of pre-sweetened kool-aid (good for canteens),jerky and slim jims, cheese crackers, cracker jacks, nuts of all kinds. Anything but chicken he loved to receive, he got enough of that in M.R.E.'s.
when i was in the Navy, we were told things we could send to the corpsmen that help the marines. you remember those beanie babies that everyone wants to get rid of? well, they are small and collapsable and easy to stuff in a soldiers gear for them to give the children they meet.small things like that help promote good impressions on the people there. helps them not be so afraid of the soldiers.
I am constantly sending items to my troops and I have deployed 3 times myself. Here are some of our favorites:
- Spices (salt, pepper, garlic salt, popcorn salt)
- Individual drinks mixs
- Blank card to send back home (Thank you, I miss you, kids, holidays)
- Holiday decorations
- Anything dorky or funny that will put a smile on our faces
- Microwavable foods (dessert, meals)
Thanks for your support - MSgt Cooper
well,the son has returned from iraq.individual drink mixes are very,very much appreciated. he says it takes 4-6 pkg. to make the water drinkable
does anyone have any good suggestions on homeade recipes of baked goodies to send overseas for the thanksgiving holiday?
I just wanted to say THANK YOU for all the ideas. My boyfriend deploys to Iraq in June so I was just looking for some things that might be needed and things that aren't allowed to be sent. THANK YOU ALL VERY, VERY MUCH!
This is the first time that I have some free time on my hands, and I thought that I'd make some care packages to send to friends of my son who are in the service. I remember seeing posts in the past about what to send, but cannot find them at this time.
I think these are the posts you are looking for:
Desert-Safe Treat Recipes For Troops Overseas
These treats were put out by Nestle about a year ago and have been tested in their kitchen and do meet the required Middle East guidelines as well as the U. S. postal guidelines.
By imaqt1962
<www.thriftyfun.com/
Tips for Shipping Baked Goods Overseas
No butter, margarine, peanut butter or nuts should be used. These fats go rancid too fast in high heat. Butter flavored shortening however can be used.
www.thriftyfun.com/
My favorite website is http://www.anysoldier.com. There are many things our troops need. You can read letters, lists and suggestions from a huge list of names and service branches. At one point they were saying that they could not accept any homebaked treats.....only commercially packaged....for safety reasons. I don't know if they are still enforcing this or not. I'd check first before I put a lot of time and effort into baking treats that might not make it to the intended recipients! We have some care packages almost ready to ship out too. They appreciate cards and letters too. Some of the men and women don't get much support mail from their families and a friendly letter makes their day! Do check out this website and see if you can cheer up a soldier with a card or package!
I was looking to see if this had been posted or not, but a great candy bar to send over to our troops would be Hershey's Zero candy bar. These are considered to be 'the construction worker's candy bar'. They don't melt in the heat, & can even withstand sitting on your vehicle's dashboard till you get off from work & not melt. Hope this helps out somebody's sweet tooth. They make the regular sizes & king sizes. I find them at Walmart Superstore, near the checkout.
Also, I talked to a gal whose hubby was stationed over in Iraq. Her grandmother baked and wanted to send him a loaf of her banana bread. Against her better judgment, she did and by the time he got it, it was all moldy. After cutting away all the mold, he was only able to eat about a 1 inch square out of the middle, but he sent word to her/them, that "it was so good & was great to finally taste some home cooking!" Said his only regret is that Granny didn't send 2 or 3 loaves. So he'd have had more 1" squares to eat. So consider anything moist will not travel well overseas.
go to www.verybestbaking.com and click on receipes. they have a search that has a military care package listing and lists a few different nestle receipes for the troops.
Thank You! I appreciate everyone's help more than you can imagine. I have one more question--What is the best and cheapest way to send the packages?
sending packages can get expensive but the govt. is now giving military families and friends a break. The PO now has FLAT RATE boxes for APO/FPO use. No matter what it weighs it goes for the flat rate plus you get a $2 discount for the APO/FPO address. I sent 23 lbs of baked goods for only $10.95. Vacuum pack the baked goods (Food Saver), air is as much the enemy as heat.
I was wondering if you can get me some information on any groups that sends things to soldiers overseas. I have 4 guys that are under me and I am finding it out for them. Thank you.
SFC Gerry Wilson
SFC Gerry Wilson,
My husband is a life member of VVA -Vietnam Veterans of America. VVA is a service organization to our active duty service men and women, and veterans. Contact one of the local chapters in your area.
Thank you for your service!
I used to volunteer for Adoptaplatoon (when I had more time). They screen potential supporters, and link supporters to deployed troops. Supporters must agree not to share their soldier's/Marine's personal info with anyone (protecting privacy and safety). One can sign up to send weekly letters, or to send weekly letters and a monthly package. Or, there are ways to sign up for one-time support/campaigns.
There are plenty of other worthy organizations, but I have most experience with this one. Whatever group you use, just be sure to follow postal and country regulations. Best of luck!
You can also participate in "Coupons for Troops". I send a package of coupons to my contact (military family) overseas and they pick out the coupons they can use and then share them with other families that are a part of their unit. The coupons can even be expired (but not too much so). Prices at the PX are pretty high so saving any money is a big help. Do a search on "coupons for troops" here on Thriftyfun and you should get a couple hits. This is where I got started.
My husband's aunt runs a great organization called Supplies 4 GIs. You can contact them via the website. there is a button on the left "send a package to a GI."
facebook page:
www.facebook.com/
I don't have anything to add as far as organizations that help support troops, but I just wanted to say bless you for looking out for those that serve under you. I hope that if my child is someday serving in the armed forces they have someone as compassionate as you looking out for them. Thank you for serving and God bless.
Hi, Gerry, first and foremost, thank you, Thank You, *thank you* to all of you for your service, bless you! Now, check out www.booksforsoldiers.com. They donate not only books but also DVD's, music CDs, audiobooks, etc. to military folks and you can register on their site. I enter sweeps for all of the above everyday and send most of what I win to booksforsoldiers. A gal named Jo who lives in Hostetter, PA is a member & told me about it.
