Halloween is headed our way. And because it’s the start of the holiday season, it can often be a lonely time for our brave military men and women overseas. Packages and goodies from friends and loved ones can mean a lot, so we thought we’d offer a few tips and resources this week for those of you who plan on sending a little bit of home.
Free Military Care Kit
The U.S. Postal Service offers a free kit by request, which is a great way to send Halloween goodies. But you can’t get them at your local post office. You’ll have to order your kit online or over the phone. It comes with six different flat rate boxes, priority mail tape and address labels, customs forms and envelopes. For more information on the kits or to place your free order, just call 1-800-610-8734 or click here.
And you can learn more about USPS shipping times by clicking here—USPS is the only shipping service allowed to deliver to military bases.
Sending Sweet Treats to Troops
Perhaps you don’t have a loved one in the military overseas, but you’d like to help out anyhow. A great way to do that is to send candy through one of the following organizations.
- Halloween Candy Buy-back. After Halloween each year, dentists across the U.S. help collect candy in their communities, and then they send it through organization like Operation Gratitude to deployed soldiers. Soldiers like candy, too, after all, but they also hand it out to children in the countries where they’re deployed. Click here for more information or to find participating dentists in your area.
- Soldiers’ Angels Treats for Troops. Similar to the Halloween Candy Buy-back described above, the Soldiers’ Angels Treats for Troops Halloween Candy Drive partners will local businesses to collect candy for deployed soldiers. Click here if your business would like to take part or if you’re looking for candy donation sites in your community.
- Operation Shoebox. For Halloween, Operation Shoebox is another organization that packages candy for troops overseas. You can send them bags of individually wrapped candy—especially types that don’t tend to melt—and volunteers with this group will include the candy with care packages they send. Click here for more information.
