Many Ways We Can Help Our Soldiers

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~There are many organizations that can provide information on ways

you can lend a hand to our soldiers.~

It is not recommended that you flood the military mail system with letters, cards, and gifts. Due to security concerns, and shipping limitations, the military cannot accept items addressed to "Any Servicemember". Likewise, shipping large quantities of items to an individual's address can overburden the mail and create delays.

~Donate a calling card: VFW Foundation :: Operation Uplink-Operation Uplink is a unique program that keeps military personnel and hospitalized veterans in touch with their families and loved ones by providing them with a free phone card. www.operationuplink.org You can also make a donation by mailing your contribution to: Operation Uplink VFW Foundation National Headquarters, 406 W 34th Street, Suite 718 Kansas City, MO 64111.
Call (800) 479-5228 or (816) 756-3390 or email uplink@vfw.org for more information.

*American Red Cross- Offers a full range of support for our soldiers, including a phone card program. ~Send an e-mail greeting:

*Operation Dear Abby.net... Messages from Home Published by the Department of Defense, this site allows U.S. citizens to send holiday messages to U.S. Armed Forces troops deployed overseas. www.operationdearabby.net

*Or, write to: anyservicemember.navy.mil

*Sign a virtual thank you card at the Defend America web site at www.defendamerica.mil

*AMVets "Voices From Home" allows serving military members and their families and friends to send and receive immediate voice e-mail messages. www.voicesfromhome.com/home

*CaringBridge is a forum for personal support and encouragement.- Wounded Heroes,Guestbook

*The "Stars and Stripes" newspaper includes a daily "Messages of Support" section giving family and friends of deployed service members a chance to pass along greetings, announcements, and words of encouragement. messages@stripes.com.

*Send Free MARSGRAMS to our soldiers. All domestic postage for MARS morale messages are paid for by the DoD.

~Volunteer:

*at a VA Hospital

*MilitaryPetsFOSTER Project -NetPets For helping those people in the miltary and other related government organizations who will have to leave their beloved pets behind. * Operations Noble Foster is coordinating the cat foster for military pets

* FamilyLine is an exciting and worthwhile volunteer opportunity, associated with the U.S. Navy, for anyone interested in providing support and assistance to the families in their local military community. nsfamline@aol.com or call toll free at 1-877-673-7773.

*Volunteer opportunities with the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society-fill out the information request form and submit it: www.nmcrs.org/request.

*Give blood- 1-800-Give-Life (1-800-448-3543) or visit www.givelife.org

~Donate Money:

*Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors, Inc. (TAPS) provides services at no cost to military members and families who have lost a loved one on active duty in the military.

*American Bugler.org

* Red Cross -Donate Online- www.redcross.org

Chapter Locator -Donating to your Local Red Cross Chapter assists people in need within your community.

When Disaster Strikes…Donations Are Needed: FEMA Disaster Relief Fund, enables the Red Cross to provide shelter, food, counseling and other assistance to those in need across the country.

                                     Donating Medical Supplies and Equipment

                                     Your spare change can help save lives

-Donate by mail:

                                    American Red Cross AFES — Iraq Response
                                     P .O. Box 91820
                                    Washington, D.C. 20090

                       American Red Cross International Response Fund-The International Response Fund allows the American Red Cross to respond to people's needs around the globe .
                          P.O. Box 37243
                          Washington, D.C. 20013

                          American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund
                          P.O. Box 37243
                          Washington, D.C. 20013

-Donate by phone

Call: 1-800-HELP-NOW
(1-800-435-7669)
English speaking

1-800-257-7575
Spanish Speaking

1-800-220-4095
For TDD Operator

                 Army Emergency Relief
                                    200 Stovall Street
                                    Alexandria, VA Phone: 703-428-0000
                                    DSN: 328-0000
                                    Fax: 703-325-7183
                                    DSN: 221-7183

Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society Make check to NMCRS or Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society, mail to 4015 Wilson Boulevard, 10th Floor, Arlington, VA 22233

Coast Guard Mutual Assisistance-4200 Wilson Blvd,Suite 610 Arlington,VA 22203-1804

USO Mail Programs

             Operation USO Care Package to:
                 USO-Operation USO Care Package
                 C/O Pentagon Federal Credit Union
                 P.O. Box 19221
                 Alexandria, VA 22320-9998 /or call 1-866-USO-GIVEor visit www.usometrodc.org

The Air Force Aid Society, as the official charity of the United States Air Force, agrees to accept commissary gift certificates from individuals or companies who choose to donate the certificates to Air Force members and their families.

Fisher House Foundation, Inc. / Fisher Houses provide a "home-away-from-home" for service members and their families while a loved one is hospitalized at the military's major medical centers. Your donation of commissary gift certificates will enable Fisher House to ease the burden for families at a most stressful time in their lives.

Operation ShoeBox Due to the overwhelming response, they have to temporarily slow down on accepting donations of items until they clear some of the existing donations out of their storage space, which is bursting at the seams! They will, however, be able to accept the smaller items like phone cards, batteries (AA, AA, C, D). Letters and post cards and are in need of postage to send the items now in stock. It costs about $6.00 to send a shoebox. Special note: Deployed US dogs need some items too. Money orders may be sent to: Operation ShoeBox P.O. Box 1465 Belleview,FL 34421

New Information on Mail, Care Package & Taxes