How to Send a Christmas Card to a Recovering American Soldier

My friend Ellie posted the following information on her Facebook page that I wanted to pass along. She recommended that for their of you out there who are sending out Christmas cards, to take at least one card and send it to a recovering American soldier.  

The address for sending said card is:

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

The deadline for sending cards is December 9, 2011.

The 2011 Holiday Mail For Heroes program is administered by the Red Cross, and funded/managed/screened gratis by Pitney-Bowes. Here are the rules: 

Card Guidelines:
Every card received will be screened for hazardous materials by Pitney Bowes and then reviewed by Red Cross volunteers working around the country. Please observe the following guidelines to ensure a quick reviewing process:

- All cards being sent in for should be postmarked no later than Friday, December 9, 2011.

- Ensure that all cards are signed. Use generic salutations such as “Dear Service Member.” Cards addressed to specific individuals can not be delivered through this program.

- Only cards are being accepted. Do not send letters.

- Do not include email or home addresses on the cards, as the program is not meant to foster pen pal relationships.

- Do not include inserts of any kind, including photos, as these items will be removed during the reviewing process.
We encourage participants to mail as many cards as they are comfortable sending. If you are mailing a large quantity, please bundle the cards and place them in large mailing envelopes or use a flat rate box from the post office. Each card does not need its own envelope, as cards will be removed from all envelopes before distribution.

- Please refrain from sending holiday cards with glitter. Many of these cards will be delivered to military and veterans medical facilities and the glitter could interfere with a patient's recovery.

So do a little to bring a bit of happiness to those who are giving so much of themselves for the freedoms that we enjoy everyday.

FH