Read about this project in Construction Executive
Questions?
Contact Director of Communications Judy Gretsch
at 301-595-9711 or jgretsch@abcmetrowashington.org.
Shoeboxes for Soldiers is an ongoing community service project that
will continue as long as members are willing to send boxes.
We welcome additional units on our “adoption” list.
To add a unit to our list, please send contact information
to jgretsch@abcmetrowashington.org.
Go to Adopted Military Unit for photos, messages and information from Captain Pettee's Unit.
"Thank you for all your support (and the ABC of Metro of Washington). Our team of soldiers appreciated all of your packages that you sent us!!!!! Those packages did come in handy and all the items were used. … You and the people of ABC don’t know how much those packages really came in handy and meant to us from people back from the USA."
Captain Jeff Pettee, August 27, 2009 |
A volunteer on the Community Service Committee submitted an address for Captain John Heins and his unit that deployed to Camp Phoenix in Afghanistan. Requests included mini toiletries, warm wool boot socks, and large 3M hooks to hang things on walls. Captain Heins returned to the U.S. in January 2010. He is now living in Annapolis, MD, and stationed at Ft. Meade.
Click on photo to download larger image of RMO.
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Excerpt from an email from Captain John C. Heins, USAF, 12/18/09:
"Six more boxes have arrived this week, and this batch appears to be from Mallick Plumbing and Heating.
"I've taken the wonderful contents and distributed them to the MWR prize people, the welcome center (where they have some drawers people often fill up with supplies to share), some of my college-student soldiers who needed notebooks, and what I like to call the "hungry soldier fund" -- everyone is chowing down on slim jims, beef jerky, candy, and mac & cheese!
"Once again, thanks SO much! I'm down to less than a month left here, and I'll provide you with a new POC here as soon as I have one. Merry Christmas!"
Excerpt from an email from Captain John C. Heins, USAF, 11/26/09:
"I received about 8 more boxes this week! The variety of the contents and the generosity of the senders continues to amaze all of us here.
"One of my friends here is in charge of Morale, Welfare and Recreation activities, and they're often looking for prizes for various events they conduct like bingo, karaoke, sports contests, and poker. Some of the items your group has sent -- playing cards, puzzle books, movies, candy -- have been perfect as prizes for those events. I'm sure you'd enjoy seeing how excited the participants are when they win and receive something they ordinarily couldn't get around here.
"The toiletries and some of the snacks I'm working on getting to soldiers at outlying bases who have less access to stores and regular shipments of supplies. Toiletries and warm socks are in especially short supply and will be greatly appreciated. ...
"Happy Thanksgiving! Thanks very much for everything you're doing."
Email from Captain John C. Heins, USAF, 11/16/09:
"I've received three in the last few days from Barr Concrete and I think ABC of Metro Washington. They're being distributed as widely as possible, and the candy and other treats will definitely come in handy when the holidays roll around!
"For future packages to me or others... Some of the soldiers up in the mountains (luckily not me) have very little access to stores, and some of the things they need the most are mini toiletries and warm wool boot socks. I can make sure those get to the right people. Also, I know people here could use some of those large 3M hooks to hang things on their walls. (very limited floor space in most of our rooms!)
"I certainly will provide another contact before I go. I'll probably wait until the next Army unit starts rolling in in January so it'll be a good long-term contact.
"I will keep an eye out for those additional packages and let you know when they arrive. Thanks again for everything you're doing!
Excerpt from an email from Captain John C. Heins, USAF, 10/26/09:
"I was surprised and thrilled yesterday to receive eight care packages in the mail... First of all, a HUGE thank you from me and my team here in Afghanistan! It always lifts everyone's spirits when someone walks into work with an armful of food, toiletries, and entertainment. It's really great to be reminded that people at home are really rooting for us. I'll be sure to provide a follow-on POC when I leave in January so that you can continue your great efforts here at Camp Phoenix.
"Thank you again!" |
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Member company Therrien Waddell sent us the contact information for Corporal Andrew Weger, a Marine and his unit that deployed in late October 2009 and are expected to return in June 2010. |
The Community Service Committee discovered this contact for a Maryland unit serving at Bagram Airfield in Afghanistan through the website
www.anysoldier.com, which allows deployed soldiers to post their address and requests for items they need.
SFC Ryan S. Lair is expected to be deployed until August 31, 2010. On September 16, 2009, Ryan wrote to Any Soldier saying, "We are all active duty [from] Maryland and come from all over the US, from small town USA to big cities. Many of us have multiple deployments and we all love what we do. Thank you for any help you are willing to send us, and if you give us a contact method we will do our best to reply with thanks and let you know your packages are gotten and well enjoyed. Anything is welcome. We have a microwave, [refrigerator], and [freezer]. We have 110 electricity. TV series on DVD are great it gets boring at night. T-shirts (M,L,XL) and hats from companies are great I have many from prior deployments and would like my soldiers to enjoy the care of so many [Americans]. Thank you."
A message from Ryan Lair posted on www.anysoldier.com on 3/26/10:
“The weather is starting to warm up and the snow melt from the mountains, unfortunately that also means the enemy is more active as well. As the temperature rises please think about what you send in the care packages because our mail often sits in the sun before getting to its final destination. We continue to appreciate the generosity of so many wonderful supporters. Our original crew [is] still here, but [we] have many around us that have come in with no real unit to support them and your packages are shared by all, THANK YOU.”
A message from Ryan Lair posted on www.anysoldier.com on 1/20/10:
“Once again I would like to thank all of the wonderful people supporting the troops both here in Afghanistan and in Iraq. We have started the new year running with our continued mission and new ones as we train the Afghan forces to one day care for themselves. Everything that we receive is greatly appreciated and enjoyed by many. We continue to get new soldiers that [think] the support is wonderful and us that have been here for awhile keep telling them that we have great AMERICANS supporting us. Again thank you everyone for everything.”
A message from Ryan Lair posted on www.anysoldier.com on 12/10/09:
"Thank you so much for all your support. The care packages are great and we have bee hanging all the cards, letters, and pictures on wall all over the office. As the Holiday season hits full swing, be thankful for everyone you have, and someone eat some pumpkin pie for all of us."
A message from Ryan Lair posted on www.anysoldier.com on 10/20/09:
"The response from our fellow Marylanders has been wonderful. We have gotten well above my expectations. You have helped not only the people I requested for but many other soldiers that have no one to send the nice things from home. Thank you very much. I have return address to say thank you and an email address or two as well, I will thank you personally when I get the time." |
A volunteer on the Community Service Committee put us in touch with Lt Col Dwayne R Peoples of the Command Chaplain in Guantanamo Bay, who became our first contact for distributing boxes there. Lt Col Peoples requested the following items on behalf of troops serving at Gitmo: freeze pops, popcorn, jerky, nuts, gummy worms-type candy, sunflower seeds and coffee. When Lt Col Peoples was reassigned, he put us in touch with Lt Col William Ferrell for additional shipments.
Email from Ch, Lt Col Dwayne Peoples, 11/18/09:
"You and your team are no trouble and have been a tremendous encouragement to the Troops. I am indeed leaving in three weeks however; my replacement will have the same mailing address. My replacement's name is Lt Col William Ferrell.
Please express my deepest regards to your team for the support they have given us."
When asked if he was returning home, he replied, "I will be home in time for Christmas and am glad for it. Missed all the holidays in late 07 early 08 due to deployment to Iraq. Its what we do. Thanks again." |
- DVDs (movies & stand-up comedy)
- CDs
- Slim Jims or beef jerky
- Phone calling cards
- Paperback books & magazines
- Puzzle books
- Notebooks & pens
- Baby wipes or hand wipes
- Decks of cards
- Small, hand-held video games
- Sleep masks and travel pillows
- Head phones for iPods and MP3 players
- gum & hard candy (Life Savers, Starburst, gummy worm-type candy, etc.)
- Freeze pops
- Popcorn & microwavable food (mac and cheese, etc.)
- Powdered drink packets (Hawaiian Punch)
- Nuts and sunflower seeds
- Coffee
- t-shirts (M, L, XL)
- hats (company logos welcome as they are a touch of home)
Members visited www.usps.com to order the following shipping materials free of charge:
- Priority Mail APO/FPO Flat Rate Box (Item No. MILI-FRB), pack of 25
- Customs Declaration and Dispatch Note (Item No. FORM 2967-A)
Supplies were also available at membership meetings over the summer and at the ABC of Metro Washington office in Calverton, MD.
Shipments typically take two to four weeks to arrive. If you are considering shipping perishable items and need to determine the likelihood that items will arrive safely, the conditions in Afghanistan are similar to the weather in Colorado, and Cuba is 90 miles from the Key West so think tropical. Consult the U.S. Postal Service for hazardous materials and food shipping rules.
No matter how much you stuff in the APO/FPO flat rate box, postage is only $11.95 to APO/FPO addresses.
If you purchase insurance, be aware that it will only cover your package until it reaches New York. After that point, insurance no longer covers the contents of your package.
The U.S. Postal Service offers free package pickup. To schedule, visit www.usps.com.
For assistance with completing the required U.S. Customs form, download this sample of a completed form.
In this space, we'll post answers to questions members submit on the project.
A
www.anysoldier.com suggests checking "Redirect to address below" and entering "Any Local Chaplain."
A To our knowledge, the soldiers overseas cannot use the phones. You might check out this organization for a program that recycles old phones and donates the proceeds to soldiers.
http://www.cellphonesforsoldiers.com/shippingLabel_generic.html
A Yes
A You can use any of the flat-rate boxes from the USPS. Even with a standard flat-rate box, you should automatically get the military discount once the post office scans in the APO address.