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| ~ SUPPORT OUR TROOPS INFORMATION ~ |
| Welcome to the FR Canteen! We hope everyone is excited and ready to go. Throughout these past few weeks, we've received requests for information on how to Support Our Troops. Below we have put together information from various sources. This isn't a complete list, but something to help you get started. Any little bit that you contribute to helping our Troops is greatly appreciated. If you have any comments, suggestions, or questions, post it on the thread. We look forward to hearing from everyone! |
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| The link above is to the Canteen Post Office. Please click to visit for further resources and information. Thank you!! |
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| ~ GETTING STARTED ~ |
Supporting our Troops can be fulfilling, rewarding, patriotic, and quite simple. The problem for many Americans is figuring out how to begin. Here's a few tips for you.
1. Find an organization that supports our Troops. There are many out there. Look towards the bottom for a few of the organizations that can help you achieve your goal.
2. READ EVERYTHING! If you visit a site that is set up to Support Our Troops, then read all the information they provide for you. Make sure that you know what you're getting yourself into. Also, make sure that you understand the requirements. Ask questions via email or phone. These are usually included on the website. Don't be afraid to ask questions. After all, they want your help to Support Our Troops. They should be more than willing to provide any answers you need.
3. Time and Money! If you have the time, you might find that emailing or snail mail will work better for you. It isn't expensive writing letters via snail mail. It is absolutely free to do so via email. If you choose to send care packages, make sure you understand that you do not have to go bankrupt supporting our heroes. The idea behind care packages is to "send a little piece of home" to our Troops. Not to bankrupt you.
4. Relatives, Friends, Co-Workers, and Places Of Worship! The very first thing you should do is check whether any of your friends, relatives, co-workers, or churches have members that are currently being deployed or soon to be. This makes it more personable for most people. Also, it allows for a better chance of getting a response back. 5. Expectations! If you decide this is what you want to do, please be prepared to not receive a response back. The likelihood of a response via email is much greater. However, please keep in mind that our Troops are engaged in fighting a War and may not have time to write you back. Can this be hard to take? For some folks, this can be particularly disheartening and upsetting. However, you are trying to provide the morale boost. Not the other way around. |
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| ~ UTILIZING RESOURCES ~ |
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When you've decided what you are going to do and which organization (if any), you can begin utilizing resources to help. What do we mean?
EMAIL OR SNAIL MAIL
1. Set up a time when you are going to email or send mail. Try to coordinate a schedule according to your availability. This is one of the easiest things to do. (Did we mention it's FREE?) Not all military branches offer email capability for all the Troops when they are "in the field". If you want to do email correspondence, then the Navy is probably your best bet. Everyone on a ship has access to email at some point.
2. Please keep in mind that you may not receive an email everyday. For snail mail, obviously you aren't going to receive a letter back all the time. Our Troops will try to get back to you when they can. Keep in mind that snail mail may not be answered. If you are going through an organization, they have a pretty good idea whether or not Troops will write back. (Ask them!)
3. Kids! What better way to teach your children about supporting our heroes than having them write letters or send drawings. This is a big hit with almost all of our Troops. It's always nice to know that some child took time out of their lives to do something special for them. Sunday School classes, Playtime groups, Daycare groups, and your own children can supply many smiles. Make it a family or a group project! Very simple, easy, and cheap. 4. If you've established a relationship with any of our Troops, perhaps you can begin having others write to them as well. Make sure to get permission before doing so. And make sure you trust other people to do this. Many of our Troops count on getting a little pick me up when times are tough. During deployment, morale can be a rollercoaster ride for many of them. Your function is to be their cheerleader. That's your main purpose. If you can't do that, then we suggest not committing yourself to do it. CARE PACKAGES
1. If you don't know the person you are sending to, send a small care package first. Do the essentials and basics: toothbrush, toothpaste, mouth wash, beef jerky, socks, small game, playing cards, a letter explaining who you are, and whatever else you can think of. (Keep in mind that Iraq and Afghanistan are really hot right now. So? Avoid anything that will melt and make a huge mess.)
2. If you don't hear back from them, then just send a small care package once a month. We suggest this because things change all the time in a War zone. So? To save you from spending too much money and frustration from not hearing back, it is recommended to send only once a month. If you receive your care package back, the address is either changed, wrong, or they're on their way home. Or the USPS cannot deliver it for some unknown reason. (This happens more than you can imagine.)
3. If you do establish a relationship with them, please keep the following things in mind. THEY ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO ASK YOU FOR THINGS. If you ask them what they would like, then be prepared to get a variety of requests back. The choice of whether you send them or not is strictly up to you. If you feel you are being taken advantage of, notify the organization or their commanding officer. You have the power to say "no".
4. Many times when you begin corresponding with your individual Soldier/Sailor/Marine/Airman/Coastie, they will tell you about someone else that isn't receiving mail. This gives you the opportunity to allow others around you to help. Don't take all of this on by yourself. If you can afford it and want to do it, then by all means the choice is yours. For most of us, it's easier to get friends and family to adopt another soldier. 5. The most effective way to do a care package support is to know the person you are sending items to. If not, go through an organization or have a contact point on the other side. It's easier to keep things in balance. It makes life a lot easier for everyone when you can have accountability on both sides. 6. Get as many people involved with the care package support. Either take up a collection from co-workers, family members, or friends. This can be an enjoyable experience for everyone. Perhaps make it a community project. Have the kids draw or write letters. The adults can gather supplies to send. You can have care package support drives in your community. Ask the local businesses if they would like to donate items such as suntan lotion, baby wipes, food, or anything else that you can think of. |
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| ~ WHAT TO SEND ~ |
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You've decided to finally send a care package! Great! Okay! What do I send? Well, here are a list of things that the FR Canteen has personally sent in the past few months.
Baby wipes
Beef, turkey, or any other kind of jerky you can find.
Socks (white)
underwear (you can save this for when contact has been established)
Suntan Lotion
Chapstick
Campbell's Hand Soup - Click here if you don't know what we are talking about. (Make sure they have access to a microwave before sending)
Pasta Anytime - Click here for picture.(This is also a microwave item.)
Any type of candy - Make sure it isn't too hot before you send it.
Games - they love any kinds of games. Board games, cards, and most importantly: They love game console games for XBOX, PS2, Gamecube, etc.
Frisbees
Kettle Corn Popcorn - microwave item
Starkist Tuna Lunch Kits - Click here for picture.
Little Debbie Snacks
Snack size pudding
Snack size jello
Crackers
Disposable cameras -
Yo Yos
Snack size fruit - Click here for picture.
Capri Sun - Click here for picture.
DVD movies - any type that isn't pornographic. Use your own judgement. (For example, Playboy playmate movies would be a red flag.)
VHS movies - While MoJo hates VHS tapes, they may have access to watch them. You can buy most of this stuff cheaper online at Amazon.com used (same with DVD movies) or at your local video store. Or do a summer cleaning of your movie collection.
CD music - find out what they like before sending anything. (If you hate rap or country, this could prove to be very painful for you. Just ask Ma.)
Disposable razors
Toothbrushes
Toothpaste
combs and hairbrushes
shampoo
lotion - Our female troops really love this.
hairspray - Kill the ozone, but make our female troops happy! WooHoo!
Contact solution - Click here for a picture.
Books and magazines - We've sent a variety of magazines. No Playboy or other type of magazines. Although, they do consider many of America's magazines to be too pornographic for Muslim countries. To avoid issues, cover it up with something. Many of the younger Troops love Car and Hunting type magazines.
Bibles - We've had request for more Bibles. We've sent them. Some organizations frown upon this practice. As Senior Chief told MoJo, "We are there defending their rights as Muslims, the least they can do is tolerate ours." If you'd like to donate Bibles, please contact MoJo2001.
Phone Cards - Make sure they are international ones. Also, you can buy them cheaper at Sam's Club, Wally World (Walmart), Costco (UGH!), and various other places.
Gift Cards - We did this with Sailors on the USS George Washington and it worked quite well. You can go to www.walmart.com and buy an online card. It allows them to get whatever they need online. And you can send as much as you want.
Portable DVD Players - (The ones with the LCD screens) This can be quite expensive, but you can find really good deals online for less than a hundred bucks some times. You can begin at www.pricewatch.com . Although, we would warn against doing this unless you know the person quite well. Receiving gifts like this makes other Troops ask for the same thing from their contact. This can really hinder the support. Use your judgment about what to do.
Most importantly: Whatever else you would like to send will probably be just fine. It's up to you! |
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| ~ What We've Found~ |
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Since many of us have the experience of sending care packages and interacting with the military, we'll try to help those that haven't.
1. If you are serious about helping out the military, please keep in mind that you will have to play by their rules. If they say something is unacceptable, then abide by that rule. They are doing it to protect our military. Please respect their wishes.
2. Don't allow yourself to be aggravated or frustrated with the process. If you haven't heard back from your military contact, don't give up. They may or may not have the appropriate response time for you. If you are doing this to get a rewarding relationship, then we'd advise against it. You'll just have to know that you are doing the right thing. For many folks, that just isn't enough.
3. If you are sending care packages, keep in mind that they may already be receiving packages from other places. So? Don't feel bad if you don't fulfill their requests for items that seem out of your budget. You are doing this out of the kindness of your heart and to show support. That doesn't give anyone the right - military heroes and all - to make you feel like you must spend the bank to make them happy. We cannot stress this enough.
4. Most military personnel are so grateful to receive anything from home. The gratitude that they have may not translate into personally acknowledging you. That's okay. They may wait until they get home to write to you. That happens more than you can imagine. 5. Our military is made up of America's best. They also come from smalltown and big city America. What are we getting at? They come from every segment of society. Many of them have personal problems that you may or may not relate well to. Try to keep any messages positive and upbeat. Your goal should be to bring a smile to their face. Not add terrible news from home or drama they don't need. Please avoid politics as much as possible. Unless of course, you know the person really well.
6. If a group of friends are going to send care packages, we commend you for your efforts. One of the easiest and cheapest things to do is to stagger the care packages. If you have 4 people sending to one person, give one week to each person. So? It doesn't cost as much and the military person will feel the love from home with packages or mail.
7. If you are individually sending to 3 or 4 military personnel, stagger the care packages. Send one a week or every other week. Whatever works well for you and your budget.
8. Look around FR, The Canteen, or anywhere else online that you are comfortable at. They may have folks that need help sending care packages or may need donations to send one big package. Keep your ears and eyes open.
Finally, we apologize for the long thread. We feel this is important. In the comments section, you will find various ways to help out and organizations that you can contact. Thank you! |
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