This weekend most of us will be celebrating the Fourth of July with pinics, fireworks and having fun with our families.  I would like to remind every one that this is also a good time to take a moment to honor and thank all the men and women who have served in the Armed Services who fight for freedom and independence around the world.

Below is a list of several great organization that make it easy for you to help support our troops, I hope you take a few moments to look it over and help in any way you can. 

The Handmade Afghan Project, or HAP is run by Deborah from her home in Maryland, (started December 2004).  By donating a 6 x 9 inch rectangle you can help thank soliders who have been wounded for their service.  The organization’s mission:

Our objective is to thank those wounded in service to our country. To bring comfort and warmth to our wounded service members, we create handmade afghans. Most of the afghans are delivered to Walter Reed Hospital in Washington, D.C. Others are sent to military hospitals in the U.S. and Afghanistan. You can help by crocheting or knitting 6″ x 9″ rectangles that will be joined together to produce twin bed size afghans.

About the organization:

“The Handmade Afghans to Thank Our Armed Forces Project has become a community of our own with over 400 people involved; ranging in age from 8 to at least 93 years old, women and men, including people who crochet, knit, quilt, sew and some that do none of these, from 41 states, Washington D.C. and four countries other than the US.”

The blankets they make are wonderful. You can see some photos here: 6×9 PHOTO ALBUM. As of the middle of Jan. 08, the volunteers have produced 899 afghans to send to Walter Reed Hospital in Washington, D.D. or to Bagram Airfield Hospital in Afghanistan.

The 6×9 Rectangle website includes tips for crocheting or knitting a rectangle to donate (i.e., keep each rectangle one color, solid pattern stitching is preferred) and all the information you will need to help support this awesome project.

Other Ways You Can Help:

1) Become a Penpal - Letters and cards of support (you can include a page or two of upbeat articles from the newspaper or internet about sports or human interest; crossword puzzles, comics).

2) Adopt a solider - Send packages of needed items. (Most needed items: q-tips (to clean their guns), baby wipes, slim jims, microwavable pre-made meals, razors, small toiletries, used books and magazines, feminine products, etc.) For security reasons: Keep all food items in their original packaging. No home made food products are allowed. Dollar stores are a great place to get a lot of the needed items for very little money.

NOTE - You may not hear back much (or at all) from your penpal or adopt soldier, depending on their circumstances they may not have time to write back or may feel shy about writing to a stranger. But the letters and packages are greatly appreciated.

3) Adopt a military unit - form a group of friends or contact a local social or church group in your neighborhood). The needs for each military unit varies, but once you have made contact with a solider you can ask what else is needed by his or her fellow soldiers. There are medical units without enough supplies (send packages of first aide basics). There are units that work very long hours and often miss meals (send prepackaged food items, powdered drink mixes, coffee, tea and sugar packets would be very helpful), there are some units that find it difficult to get enough pencils and erasers to write their reports, other units have dogs and need food and treats for their canine friends. Some units work with children and schools (send packages of small stuffed or unbreakable toys, school supplies, books, clothing)

3) Spread the word to others about these sites below and encourage schools, girl scouts troops, church groups, and various clubs, etc. to start a group project to send packages and\or letters.

4) Make a monetary donation to a fund that sends premade packages and items to the troops.

Below is a list of the resources I have used:

AnySoldier.com 700 contacts who distribute packages and mail to “any soldier” or “any female soldier” — this site provides posts from the military contacts, many with pictures, that are updated with current needs and situation. It has a search feature also that so if you have items you want to send you can find someone or a military unit who needs them.

They also have pre-made care packages you can order, sources for other needed items like heater meals, beef jerky, t-shirts.

Books for soldiers (several forums where soldiers can post requests, as well as a forum for individuals to post items they want to send).  If you have old books, magazines, board games, personal care products, you are willing donate and send then this is a great place to find someone who can really use it. This website lists servicemen and women in all branches of the armed forces who get little if any mail.

Soldier’s Angels - for penpal or adopt a soldier connection

Keystone Soldiers - Email request for penpal or adopt a solider, penpals@keystonesoldiers.com

Penpal - letters and if you choose to an occasional package.
Adopt a solider - making a commitment to send at least one or more care package a month (the solider will be taken off Keystone’s list, and will no longer receive packages from them).

There is also a forum for questions about how to adopt a soldier:
http://www.keystonesoldiers.com/talk/forum.php?az=show_threads&forum=102

It generally takes about a week to 10 days to get matched up with an adoptee. Be sure you mailed all the information they need because that saves time during setup. They need your full name, mailing address and phone number. This information is confidential and is strictly for the security of our troops.

Keystone Soldiers also accepts monetary donations to send pre-made care packages, socks and gloves, and sand scarfs, and also provides penpals and adopt a soldier connections (see below for more info)

Can also order pre-made packages:
Keystone packages: $25.00 and includes an assortment of toiletries, snacks and free time materials.

Sand Scarf: - specially designed to protect against the hot, blowing sand
$14 (can donate to be sent by Keystone or purchased to send to someone you know)

SOCKS for the Troops - socks are not provided by the military, they are considered personal items and must be purchased by the individual soldiers. Socks need to be high quality to protect their feet. article: http://www.keystonesoldiers.com/article.php?story=20040710203225282
You can donate for shipment to the Keystone Soldiers Center for general distribution or, if you have adopted a soldier, you can send the TechSpun® Sock and Glove System directly to your soldier. For anyone who donates 2 sets of the TechSpun socks and gloves to us for distribution we will also send a care package to one of our troops in your name. This will include the TechSpun products and all our normal care package items with a hand signed card from the donor.

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