Operation: Birthday Cake (Soldiers' Angels and Bake Me a Wish)
Thanks to a cooperative project between Soldiers' Angels and Bake Me a Wish, deployed service members can receive birthday cakes from patriotic Americans. For every Freedom Cake purchased on Bake Me a Wish, a birthday cake will be sent to a service member in the customer's name. Bake Me a Wish will generously donate their delicious birthday cakes, and Soldiers' Angels will send each one on its way.
Wire a Cake
Support our Troops! Yes you can deliver a cake to a soldier for any occasion! We can send birthday cakes to troops at home & abroad!
We are proud to be a member of the Angel Team of Bakers for Soldiers' Angels Organization. Each month we take on an assignment and send a cake, cookies or pie to a deserving service member.
____________________________________________________________________
Blankets of Belief (Soldiers' Angels)
We want our deployed heroes to know that they are remembered during the winter holiday season, that we are thinking of them, and that we are grateful for their service. Since we can't wrap our arms around them in person to show how much we love and appreciate them, our goal is to once again wrap all of our deployed service members in blankets representative of our support and faith in them, Blankets of Belief. The blankets will be a physical reminder that they are not alone. When deployed service members receive a Blanket of Belief, they will know that somebody back home remembered them, that somebody labored over a handmade blanket with thoughts of them and hopes or prayers for their strength and comfort.
Full Circle Home
Our service men and women are doing more than their part. They need and deserve all the care packages, love and support that we can give. But at Christmas and Mother's Day, they want to send their love back – back to their wives, fiancés, girlfriends and moms. This program is designed to let our heroes be heroes yet again, by allowing them to send their holiday gifts and a love note to their quiet hero at home. This is accomplished through the generosity and appreciation of businesses and individuals who sponsor a servicemen's gifts home.
Holiday Mail for Heroes
The holiday season is just around the corner and it’s time again to start thinking about being part of the 2011 American Red Cross Holiday Mail for Heroes. For a fifth year, American Red Cross and Pitney Bowes are partnering to ensure all Americans have an opportunity to send a touch of home this holiday season to members of our U.S. military, veterans and their families, many of whom will be far away from home this holiday season.
Starting this fall and throughout the holiday season, the Red Cross is working with Pitney Bowes, a mail stream technology company, to collect and distribute holiday cards to American service members, veterans and their families in the United States and around the world.
Military Christmas stockings, ornaments
LINK - This page has links to various retailers who sell military-themed Christmas stockings.
Operation Christmas Care
Since 2005, Operation Christmas Care™ and Adopt a Vet™, have responded to the needs of deployed U.S. Service members. Volunteers and American families adopt a military Veteran or active duty service member and send them care packages, and offer spiritual and emotional "one on one" support throughout their time in military service. The project continues to grow and has been blessed with volunteers who have responded with open hearts. Each year thousands of U.S. service members receive a care package from Americans, who wish to thank them for their service and their sacrifice.
Operation Christmas Stockings
Sewing Angels providing a piece of Ho-Ho-Home for our deployed Troops. Last year we provided over 8,000 Troops with Christmas stockings and the "stuffers" to fill them. If you would like to volunteer (sewing or donating), there are deadlines associated with this project. Sewing instructions are on the site.
Operation Holiday Eagle (AdoptaPlatoon)
Please join us in sending holiday cheer to a group of Soldiers deployed during the holidays. Tie a red, white & blue ribbon around a box of candy canes and include a holiday greeting card with your name and/or state for each cane in the box! Each Soldier will receive one! Project created by the AdoptaPlatoon™.
Operation Holiday Stockings
Operation Holiday Stockings is a nonprofit founded by family members of the United States Armed Forces. Every year we knit, pack, and ship hundreds of Christmas stockings to our brave troops overseas. This website was created to inform other patriotic Americans about our cause and provide a means for you to help.
Operation Send Christmas (Military Missions)
OPERATION S.E.N.D. CHRISTMAS is just one of the projects that Military Missions, Inc . undertakes each year, and it is definitely one of the biggest! Military Missions, Inc. is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting our military and their families, as well as our veterans. The organization sends care packages out on a year round basis, but efforts for Christmas increase tenfold.
On Christmas Day, our troops will not be gathered around the tree at home with family and friends. Instead, they will be standing watch over each of us, protecting us from harm and defending our liberties. Each one is a parent, a sibling, a child, a spouse, a friend, and an American. We need to send them encouragement as well as our thanks.
Operation Shoebox
Operation Shoebox is seeking sewers to make Christmas stockings for the Troops. Christmas material is welcome as well. Their website offers a variety of patterns to download and print to help you create your stocking donations.
Portraits of Love
We know that a family photograph means so much to a soldier, especially during the holiday season. That's why the Portraits of Love Project was born.
We've put together a network of photographers who have agreed to donate their time from October 5, 2011 through December 31, 2011 to take a free portrait of families whose loved ones will be serving overseas this holiday season. It's our way of saying thank you to the brave men and women who defend our country. You will also be able to receive a free copy of the portrait for yourself!
Project Rudolph
Project Rudolph was created to give deployed and deploying service members a bit of holiday cheer. Our goal is to provide gift bags for not only the military members transitioning through the airport on days leading up to Christmas, but also for active duty Air Force members who work round the clock to keep the airport running smoothly, injured troops at the hospital, injured warriors at transition barracks, deployed Army, Navy and Marines working in Germany, and our deployed troops downrange. Last year we were able to send Project Rudolph bags to Iraq, Afganistan, Kuwait and North Africa.
Seasonal Sights, Sounds and Sweets Holiday Drive (Give2theTroops)
Give2TheTroops is requesting specific holiday items for the holiday care packages they’re sending to the troops at Christmas. Won’t you PLEASE bring some happiness to our troops for the holidays?!
Stars and Stripes Holiday Messages program 2012
Link to be added
Send free holiday messages to your family and friends. Messages will appear online (and overseas in our print newspaper if you choose), so your loved ones will be able to see your message no matter where they’re deployed or stationed. (Messages sent to recipients located in the U.S. will only appear online and not in print.)
Six Months of Christmas (Soldiers' Angels)
Each month from June to December of 2011, Soldiers’ Angels is focusing on collecting one component of our Wrapped in Holiday Spirit care packages to help 130,000 deployed heroes have a great Holiday Season this winter!
Stockings from Santa (AdoptaPlatoon)
Let’s bring a little home to them by either sewing or buying Christmas stockings and mailing them to a small group or a platoon of Troops! You can fill them with surprises of holiday candy, socks, hot chocolate or hot cider packs, hand-held games, word puzzles with a holiday pen, travel-size toiletries. Use your imagination to make this a special gift. Don’t forget to add a holiday card for each stocking with your name so they know they are not forgotten! Project created by the AdoptaPlatoon™.
Trees for Troops
Trees for Troops has touched 50,082 military families by providing them a fresh, farm-grown Christmas tree for the holidays. With your help, TweetUp4Troops can spread the joy to many more families!
United States Postal Service - Holiday mail schedule to send mail/packages to APO/FPO address
USPS lists various deadlines to send mail/packages to arrive to an APO/FPO address in time for Christmas.
USO Holiday Boxes
Aimed at bringing holiday cheer to troops stationed in Areas of Responsibility (AoR), the USO has developed the Holiday Box program.
The newest USO program bundles fun items that help service men and women celebrate holidays and occasions in even the most remote locations. Decorations to brighten encampments in the spirit of the specific season are just the start to a package that supplies 50 troops and truly gives soldiers a sense of home. Each box also has edible treats, banners, greeting cards and a connection home like a video camera and DVDs to send messages home.
From scary movies for Halloween to tasty treats for the winter holidays, these deliveries work off of recommendations from troops in the field. There are four separate boxes: Valentine’s Day/Football; Memorial Day/Summer/Fourth of July; Halloween/Thanksgiving and Winter (with Christmas and Hanukah add-ons).
____________________________________________________________________
Give2TheTroops
Give2TheTroops is requesting specific items for their Send 'Em Some Spring Drive (Easter and Passover Drive).
Send an Easter Egg Hunt to a Soldier or Marine
Springtime and Easter are quickly approaching. Want to make a difference in a soldier or marine's deployment? This year you can send an Easter Egg Hunt to someone deployed overseas. Simply donate $10.00 to Military Connections and an Easter Egg Hunt will be sent to a soldier or marine. An Easter Egg Hunt bag is filled with food, snacks, and Plastic Easter Eggs filled with candy and trinkets. Being away from home for the holidays is very difficult for a soldier or marine and we hope that the Easter Eggs will be a great morale booster.
If you would like to sponsor a soldier or marine please send $10.00 to Military Connections Corporation. Your ten dollars will cover the cost and contents of the Easter Egg Hunt. You can also include a note or picture and we will put it in the finished package. In order to make sure that the Easter Eggs reach the troops by Easter, we need to ship by April 15th.
____________________________________________________________________
Dads on Duty Father's Day Donation Drive (Give2theTroops)
Give2TheTroops is requesting specific items for their "Dads on Duty" Fathers Day Care Packages being sent to our Troops.
Stars and Stripes Father's Day Messages program 2012
Whether the Dad you adore is biological or adopted, active duty or a civilian, Stars and Stripes is here to help you pay tribute by posting a free message for Father’s Day.
If your recipient is overseas and your message is received by May 29, it will be published in the Stars and Stripes newspaper of your choice. All messages will also be available online.
____________________________________________________________________
AdoptaPlatoon - Halloween Treats for the Troops
Halloween Treats for the Troops - Send one SPOOKY card and one Halloween treat bag filled with Halloween candy or other hard candy to small groups of Army Soldiers, Marines, Airmen and Sailors deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan. Project created by the AdoptaPlatoon™.
Give 2 the Troops - Fall Into the Holidays for the Troops
This year, you're each being asked to support our “Fall Into The Holidays For The Troops" campaign for the troops.
The holidays are always the hardest times for all troops. They're away from their loved ones and many don't receive a piece of Halloween candy, a Thanksgiving card, a slice of pumpkin pie, see the MACY'S Thanksgiving Day Parade, etc. It's just another "routine day" for them. Give2TheTroops works hard at putting smiles on our troops' faces and giving thanks to all our troops serving for us. So we are going to bring the fall holidays to THEM!
Give2TheTroops is requesting specific holiday items for the "Fall Into The Holidays For The Troops" Care Packages being sent to our Troops.
Operation Gratitude - Accepts your excess Halloween candy for care packages
We welcome your excess Halloween candy for our care packages!
Operation Gratitude - Halloween candy buy-back program for dentists
Dentists nationwide "buy-back" Halloween candy from children in their communities and then send the candy to U.S. Military deployed in combat through Operation Gratitude or other Military support groups.
The troops love the candy--for themselves, but also to give out to the children in the communities they patrol. Many Service Members have told us that the children gave them information on where bombs and bad guys were hidden after receiving our candy and stuffed animals. They said: "You are not just putting smiles on our faces; you are saving our lives." All types of candy are acceptable, including chocolate this time of year.
To find dentists within your community who may be participating in a Halloween Candy Buy-Back program, or to encourage your own dentist to participate, please visit this website: http://www.halloweencandybuyback.com
Soldiers' Angels - Halloween candy for the Troops
Our military men and women deployed around the world always enjoy candy in their care packages, and this is the perfect time of year for shipping chocolate--the cooler weather means it's less likely to melt! Patriotic kids and parents can send extra Halloween candy to Soldiers' Angels, who will make sure it brightens the day of a service member far from home (please be sure to send "the good stuff,"--no crushed/melted candy or broken/torn wrappers, etc).
Soldiers' Angels asks all Angels to spread the word and get their community involved in sharing their Halloween candy to give our troops a taste of home.
USO Holiday Boxes
Aimed at bringing holiday cheer to troops stationed in Areas of Responsibility (AoR), the USO has developed the Holiday Box program.
The newest USO program bundles fun items that help service men and women celebrate holidays and occasions in even the most remote locations. Decorations to brighten encampments in the spirit of the specific season are just the start to a package that supplies 50 troops and truly gives soldiers a sense of home. Each box also has edible treats, banners, greeting cards and a connection home like a video camera and DVDs to send messages home.
From scary movies for Halloween to tasty treats for the winter holidays, these deliveries work off of recommendations from troops in the field. There are four separate boxes: Valentine’s Day/Football; Memorial Day/Summer/Fourth of July; Halloween/Thanksgiving and Winter (with Christmas and Hanukah add-ons).
____________________________________________________________________
AdoptaPlatoon - 4th of July Salute for our Nation's Heroes with cards
This 4th of July 2011, while you and your family celebrate our Nation's birthday, send a military salute via greeting card to the men and women in uniform who deploy overseas on our behalf. Your words on a simple card saying, "You're in our Prayers", or "Thank you for Serving on our Behalf" or "You are our Heroes" signed by your family, will mean a great deal to those who fight and sacrifice for our Freedoms. You may send as many cards signed by your family, friends and business associates as you'd like. Make the 4th of July 2011 a tradition for your family and com-munities' 4th of July Salute to our Nation's Troops. Project created by the AdoptaPlatoon™.
USO Holiday Boxes
Aimed at bringing holiday cheer to troops stationed in Areas of Responsibility (AoR), the USO has developed the Holiday Box program.
The newest USO program bundles fun items that help service men and women celebrate holidays and occasions in even the most remote locations. Decorations to brighten encampments in the spirit of the specific season are just the start to a package that supplies 50 troops and truly gives soldiers a sense of home. Each box also has edible treats, banners, greeting cards and a connection home like a video camera and DVDs to send messages home.
From scary movies for Halloween to tasty treats for the winter holidays, these deliveries work off of recommendations from troops in the field. There are four separate boxes: Valentine’s Day/Football; Memorial Day/Summer/Fourth of July; Halloween/Thanksgiving and Winter (with Christmas and Hanukah add-ons).
____________________________________________________________________
Full Circle Home
Our service men and women are doing more than their part. They need and deserve all the care packages, love and support that we can give. But at Christmas and Mother's Day, they want to send their love back – back to their wives, fiancés, girlfriends and moms. This program is designed to let our heroes be heroes yet again, by allowing them to send their holiday gifts and a love note to their quiet hero at home. This is accomplished through the generosity and appreciation of businesses and individuals who sponsor a servicemen's gifts home.
Mail 'Em Mother's Day Drive (Give2the Troops)
Give2theTroops is asking you to support our troops their “Mail 'Em Mothers Day™" Donations Drive! They are requesting specific items for the "Mail 'Em Mothers Day™" Care Packages For our Troops and for Troops to Send Home to their Wives, Mothers & Grandmothers.
Operation Hi Mom! sends free fine art canvas to Moms of deployed
Operation Hi Mom awards hundreds of our deployed men and women a free fine art canvas, printed from a favorite photo, which will be presented to their moms on Mother’s Day. Deployed soldiers can simply go to a specially-designed webpage to submit a request, write their mother an endearing message, and upload a photo. It’s a way for soldiers to say to their mom, I love you…and it’s a way for Canvas on Demand to say to our troops, Thanks for a job well-done! See also Operation Hi Honey!
Stars and Stripes Mother's Day messages program (2012)
Deadline for Mother’s Day messages to appear in Stars and Stripes is May 3, 2012, at 8 a.m. EDT!
Messages will be included in the May 13, 2012, print edition of the location selected at the time of submission (Europe, Middle East or Pacific.)
____________________________________________________________________
AdoptaPlatoon
Send thanks to our Troops at Thanksgiving! So you can’t send a turkey – but you can send a DVD movie, popcorn, a bag of candy corn, and a letter filled with things you’re thankful for! Send a photo of you and your family too! Project created by the AdoptaPlatoon™.
Give 2 the Troops - Fall Into the Holidays for the Troops
This year, you're each being asked to support our “Fall Into The Holidays For The Troops" campaign for the troops.
The holidays are always the hardest times for all troops. They're away from their loved ones and many don't receive a piece of Halloween candy, a Thanksgiving card, a slice of pumpkin pie, see the MACY'S Thanksgiving Day Parade, etc. It's just another "routine day" for them. Give2TheTroops works hard at putting smiles on our troops' faces and giving thanks to all our troops serving for us. So we are going to bring the fall holidays to THEM!
Give2TheTroops is requesting specific holiday items for the "Fall Into The Holidays For The Troops" Care Packages being sent to our Troops.
____________________________________________________________________
AdoptaPlatoon
Remember our troops on Valentine's Day by sending one or two boxes of children's Valentine cards and lollipops! After writing “we’re proud of our U.S. Troops” on each card along with your name, city and state, tie a small red ribbon around the lollipop,
and attach it to the card. OR send a box of valentine candy hearts (the ones with messages on them) along with your cards. Be sure to let them you you're from AdoptaPlatoon! Project created by the AdoptaPlatoon™.
Give2TheTroops
Give2TheTroops is requesting specific holiday items for the Warm a Troop's Heart Drive (Valentine's Day and Winter Drive) Care Packages being sent to our Troops.
Hugs for Soldiers
Every February, loved ones exchange flowers, candy and cards, but for troops serving overseas who are separated from the ones they love, Valentine's Day can be hard. Hugs for Soldiers would like to connect hearts at home with hearts overseas by sending ((HUGS)) through Valentine cards to our deployed service members to let them know how much they are appreciated.
Stars and Stripes Valentine's Day messages program (2012)
Send your sweetheart stationed overseas a Valentine's Day message and have it printed in the pages of Stars and Stripes. Your message will appear online for loved ones to enjoy all over the world, and will also be published in the European, Pacific and Mideast editions of Stars and Stripes on February 14. Sending a message is easy and FREE!
USO Holiday Boxes
Aimed at bringing holiday cheer to troops stationed in Areas of Responsibility (AoR), the USO has developed the Holiday Box program.
The newest USO program bundles fun items that help service men and women celebrate holidays and occasions in even the most remote locations. Decorations to brighten encampments in the spirit of the specific season are just the start to a package that supplies 50 troops and truly gives soldiers a sense of home. Each box also has edible treats, banners, greeting cards and a connection home like a video camera and DVDs to send messages home.
From scary movies for Halloween to tasty treats for the winter holidays, these deliveries work off of recommendations from troops in the field. There are four separate boxes: Valentine’s Day/Football; Memorial Day/Summer/Fourth of July; Halloween/Thanksgiving and Winter (with Christmas and Hanukah add-ons).
____________________________________________________________________
Operation Hi Honey!
Canvas on Demand wants to honor our troops who are deployed overseas… and their spouses who are holding down the home front. Operation Hi Honey will award hundreds of our deployed men and women a free fine art canvas, printed from a favorite photo, which will be presented to their Honey on their anniversary. It’s a way for soldiers to say I love you… and it’s a way for Canvas on Demand to say to our troops, Thanks for a job well-done! See also Operation Hi Mom!
Copyright Benita Koeman 2008 - 2012
Supporting deployed military personnel on special days
____________________________________________________________________
Other helpful links:
- How to send cake and cookies
- Organizations that send
- Retailers that ship to APO/FPO
- Seasonal/themed ideas
- Shipping information
Organizations that have specific campaigns for these special days:
resources
Deployment support for
Resources for
Military life
Free downloads for kids & teens
Encouragement
Need help?
