Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Send Christmas Cards to Injured Soldiers - corrected info

Susan Boswell, a friend of mine who is a Stampin Up! demonstrator, had this great idea in her newest e-mail newsletter:

CHRISTMAS CARD IDEA:
When you are making your Christmas cards this year, please send one to:

A Recovering American Soldier
c/o Walter Reed Army Medical Center
6900 Georgia Avenue,NW
Washington , D.C. 20307-5001


New message from Susan, with another card program that is legitimate:

It was pointed out to me that the card program I mentioned in my newsletter is inaccurate. Cards addressed as such will not be delivered for security reasons. My apologies for misleading you; I'm usually pretty careful about checking this like this out one snopes, but it never occurred to me that this wasn't legit.

This one, however, is a legitimate program, new for 2008: http://www.redcross.org/email/saf/

Holiday Mail for Heroes

From the front lines to the home front, the American Red Cross provides service members, their families and veterans with the care and assistance they need.

The Red Cross is partnering with Pitney Bowes this holiday season for the Holiday Mail for Heroes campaign. For the second year in a row, we’re collecting holiday cards to distribute to American service members, veterans and their families in the United States and around the world. Pitney Bowes is generously donating technology, resources and postage to make this holiday card program possible.

Our goal is to collect and distribute one million holiday cards to spread holiday cheer and facilitate thanks to these brave individuals and families.

Please send cards to this address, following the guidelines listed below:

Holiday Mail for Heroes
PO Box 5456
Capitol Heights, MD 20791-5456

* Please ensure that all cards are signed.
* Please use generic salutations such as “Dear Service Member.” Cards addressed to specific individuals can not be delivered through this program.

* Please send cards as opposed to long letters which delay a quick review process.
* Please do not include email or home addresses on the cards, as the program is not meant to foster pen pal relationships.

* Please do not include inserts of any kind, including photos, as these items will be removed during the reviewing process.

* All cards received may be used in program publicity efforts, including appearing in broadcast, print or online mediums.

On the website, you can also:
* Download and print a free card.
* Learn about other ways to participate.
* Get the latest news about Holiday Mail for Heroes.
* Watch a video from Red Cross Celebrity Cabinet Members

Card Guidelines
Please follow these guidelines when mailing a card to ensure that your card will quickly reach service members, veterans and their families. Every card received will first be screened for hazardous materials by Pitney Bowes and then reviewed by Red Cross volunteers working in one of 16 sorting stations around the country.

* All cards must be postmarked no later than Wednesday, December 10, 2008. Cards sent after this date will be returned to sender.

* Participants are encouraged to limit the number of cards they submit to 25 from any one person or 50 from any one class or group. If you are mailing a larger quantity, please bundle the cards and place them in large mailing envelopes. Each card does not need its own envelope or postage.

* Please ensure that all cards are signed.
* Please use generic salutations such as “Dear Service Member.” Cards addressed to specific individuals can not be delivered through this program.

* Please send cards as opposed to long letters which delay a quick review process.
* Please do not include email or home addresses on the cards, as the program is not meant to foster pen pal relationships.

* Please do not include inserts of any kind, including photos, as these items will be removed during the reviewing process.

* All cards received may be used in program publicity efforts, including appearing in broadcast, print or online mediums.

Where to Send Phone Cards, Gift Cards and Care Packages:
* Phone cards or gift cards will not be accepted with the holiday cards. Those wishing to send calling cards or gift cards/certificates should go to www.aafes.com, scroll down to "AAFES Community Connection" and click on "Help Our Troops Call Home" or "Gift Cards/Certificates for Our Troops" in order to send such items.

* No 'Care Packages' will be accepted at this address. Those wishing to send care packages should go to www.AmericaSupportsYou.com and click under "Homefront Groups" to find out how to send care packages.

3 comments:

Unknown said...

I used this address last christmas and it was returned. I was told that it had to be specifically addressed to someone for security reasons.

DD said...

whoops! Thanks for letting me know. I'll tell Susan too, so she can alert her mailing list folks! Thanks!

Austin Stevenson Owens said...

It's really too bad that we can't write actual letters that might delay a review process for security reasons. :( THANK YOU for the information though because I had just gotten the first, crossed out address in an email yesterday!

 

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