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Also this address accepts donations of clothing, non-perishable, lightweight food, blankets, etc.

Please send clothes, hygenic supplies, blankets, canned food to:
St. George Church
65 South Keel Ridge Rd.
Hermitage, PA 16148
tel. 724-342-2600 (Fr. Svetislav Mirolovich)

In the past we have done shoe boxes. A shoe box has in it a postcard from your location with a brief note of support. Add a bar of soap, a toothbrush, toothpaste, a dried fruit bar or other easy to ship candy item, socks, a bag of peanuts, a washcloth perhaps, a small toy for a child....you can get really creative with this and they are inexpensive and easy to mail.
We shipped out about 500 of these babies to Fr Aleksandr just after the bombing. Each local Orthodox church had teen groups get together and make them. It's a terrific church activity.

What about that organization which I read about on a thread yesterday. It was called IOCC. It is in Maryland. I would send a check to them.

I sent a bunch of boxes to our troops in Iraq. POSTAGE IS HORRID!

I would think donating money is more cost efective.

A shoe box has in it a postcard from your location with a brief note of support. Add a bar of soap, a toothbrush, toothpaste, a dried fruit bar or other easy to ship candy item, socks, a bag of peanuts, a washcloth perhaps, a small toy for a child....you can get really creative with this and they are inexpensive and easy to mail.

I'm glad you sent socks, MarMema. Seriously. I decided long ago that if I ever win the lottery or something, I'll found a charity to provide socks and underwear to refugees. It's what they really need, and no one ever sends any! I actually made underwear of sorts for refugees once out of felt which had been donated for school classrooms. Well, there were no school classrooms functioning, and these poor refugees desperately needed underwear -- especially something to wear while their own undies were being washed and dried. I didn't have anything to make socks out of :(

Hygiene items are also good to send. I was so happy when the Spanish sent us hygiene packs with soap, toothbrush, toothpaste, small washcloth, small towel, disposable razor, and feminine hygiene products (you know -- and the grannies used them as "Depends"). These items are also often overlooked in donations for refugees. You get food and clothing, but no socks, underwear or hygiene items.

Soap is really important. They can use it not only to wash their bodies, but also their hair and clothes and the men can use it for shaving.

Thanks for the address! I'll go make some boxes now...