Simple, Fun & Inexpensive Ways to Support our Troops

Here are 10 simple, inexpensive (some free!) and FUN ways to support our troops.

1. Collect hotel and sample sized toiletries. Everyone has a bag full at home! Ask your local drug store for free samples of lotion, etc. Tell your neighbors, church, and club groups, too. At conventions, ask those with you to give you their unused toiletries. Casinos will donate playing cards, too. Ask insurance and real estate agents for small calendars.

2. Call your dentist and ask for a donation of toothbrushes, floss, toothpaste and mouthwash. Ask other dentists, too. I happened to see an office, walked in, and received a call the next week to pick up 300 (each) toothbrushes, floss, and toothpaste! Call your medical doctor, dermatologist, etc. and ask for samples!

3. Collect those free charity greeting cards and stickers that come in the mail, and onesy twosy boxed cards that you have left from the holidays. They can all be sent to the troops to send home! Ask your local card shop for unused envelopes. Stickers are also great. We send them to the troops to use on their letters home.

4. Conduct a neighborhood scavenger hunt. Take the “shopping list” and have kids go through the neighborhood asking for donations. Give the list to your kids/grandkids and let them go through your house! You may also conduct a neighborhood drive by asking a grocery store for brown bags and stapling the shopping list to it. Write on the list a day that you will drive by and collect the bags left on front porches. This could also be done through a church or school, handing each person a bag with list.

5. Know of a company going out of business, or changing their name? Ask for their tradeshow items with their old name/logo. We’ve received tee shirts, Frisbees, pens, pads, etc. from companies that have been acquired!

6. Utilize your connections. If you know hotel workers, ask about hygiene products, etc.

7. Donate condiment packets from restaurants. Soy sauce, catsup, etc. make those MREs a bit tastier. (Be sure to pack in zip locks in case they break open!)

8. Volunteer your time at a care package assembly event! (let's post locations of these as they are hard to find and very difficult to start-up)

9. Start a letter writing campaign in your local schools, churches, and organizations. Getting mail from “home” is the highlight of the Troops’ day. Young children can draw pictures. Be sure to add a return address so the Troops can write back!

10. Ask people to donate money to cover shipping costs. At roughly $1 a pound, it is the program’s largest expense. 100% of all donations are used for care package items, or to pay shipping costs! (ask to whom the check should be written)

-compliments of WWW.OSOT.US (Red Cross Operation Care & Comfort in Santa Clara)