How to Help Troop Hugs To ship a large, flat-rate Priority Mail box, costs $12.65. We include everything from pillows to toiletries, warm clothing to snacks, games and dvd’s, etc There are MANY opportunities to help – some not requiring any money! For instance, you can leave your UNCUT circulars of manufacturer’s coupons out of the Sunday paper on the information desk in the foyer. We will bundle them together and hand back out to those wishing to help clip them. Expired coupons are sent to bases in Germany and Italy where the families can use them up to 6 months expired. Even something as simple as a thank you note expressing your appreciation to be included in the boxes would be great. A hand-written thank you note is ALWAYS top on their list!!! Items needed to prepare for shipping:  Money for shipping costs - $12.65 for large, flat-rate Priority Mail box  Large rolls of 3” wide clear shipping tape  Medium sized vacuum storage bags for packing pillows and other bulky items  Gallon and quart sized ziplock bags (preferably freezer – heavier - for liquids)  Avery White Internet Shipping Labels 5 1/2” x 8 1/2” # 5126, 18126  Gift Cards to Target, Walmart to purchase goods for shipping *We are listing only items for men since they are who we’re sending to right now. As we expand to additional units, and if women are involved, we’ll list those items too No aerosol cans, glass containers or pork products are allowed. Personal Care Items             Shampoo & Conditioner (any size)* Deodorant - Men Chapstick and lip balm Net body sponges, loofas, Buff Puffs Toothpaste (any size)*, Toothbrushes, Dental Floss Mouthwash (any size) *, Listerine strips, breath mints Soap, Body Wash (3-in-1 is great) Hand Sanitizer - both travel and full sized Foot & Body Powder – Medicated is great Lotion (any size) * Razors and Shaving Cream (in tubes) (they prefer “regular razors over disposable, if possible) Tums, Rolaids, Pepto-Bismol, Gas-Ex, Zantec (or similar), ginger capsules                        Tylenol, Advil, Motrin, Excedrin – any OTC pain reliever Nasal spray, allergy/cold meds Eyedrops (Visine, Clear Eyes, etc. Cough drops, lozenges Multi-vitamins Anti-itch creams and lotions Athlete’s foot cream Aloe Vera gel Icy Hot, Bengay-type creams, warming pads Sunscreen (lotion or pump) prefer SPF 45+ Combs, brushes Band-aids Moleskin Bug spray – DEET, Avon Skin-so-Soft Dust masks Nail clippers, files Shoe insole cushions (gel kind is best) Travel Size Tissues – and regular size Baby Wipes – travel size (unscented) Q-Tips – travel size containers as well as larger boxes to refill smaller ones Cotton balls Lysol wipes Eyeglass cleaning wipes Food Items            Beef Jerky / Slim Jims - (no pork allowed) Powder drink mix - Gatorade, Kool-Aid, Crystal Light, Tang, Lipton-to-Go, energy drinks, lemonade Sunflower and pumpkin seeds Sardines, tuna and chicken salad -in foil pouches, or ready-to-eat kits Protein bars and powder CHOCOLATE PRODUCTS accepted from NOVEMBER through FEBRUARY (it will melt in high temperatures!) Coffee - Ground or whole; instant or drip. Ground is preferred Hot chocolate packets, herbal teas – (I even found plastic jars of mini marshmallows!) Powdered creamer Hard Pretzels, Cheetos, Fritos (snack size bags best for packing room) Chex Mix , Wheat Thins, Ritz, Triscuit, Cheese-its, animal crackers, graham crackers, Pringles Gum, hard candy (must be individually wrapped in large bags) Jolly Ranchers, Tootsie Pops, Lifesavers, Mints                     Gummy bears, chewing gum, licorice sticks (Twizzlers) Granola Bars, Power Bars, Cereal Bars, Cliff Bars, NutriGrain Bars, Pop Tarts Fig Newtons, Oreos, Cheese or Peanut Butter & Crackers, Chips Ahoy, - Small Packs Trail mix, dried fruit, granola, fruit roll-ups / Fruit By The Foot / Fruit Gummies, small flip-top canned fruit Dry soup: (Ramen Noodles / Cup-O-Soup: just add water) Instant mashed potato pouches, mac-and-cheese packets Pudding/Jello cups Peanut butter Nuts: Peanuts, Mixed Nuts (salted preferred) Microwave food: popcorn, Chef-Boy-R-Dee, mac'n'cheese…. Cookies: Girl Scout Cookies (with chocolate: Oct. - Feb. only!) Rice Krispie Treats (Store-bought only) Little Debbies & Hostess cake products Cereal (small, individual boxes), instant oatmeal packs Any condiments, spices, hot sauce (plastic), bar-b-que sauce (plastic), either full size or packets you pick up at restaurants. ANYHTING to help the taste of all those wonderful MRE’s! Jalapeno peppers in cans Salad dressings (plastic bottles) Beenie-weenies, chili, canned vegetables, stews Beef logs and hard cheeses that do not need to be refrigerated – Hickory Farms type Caffeinated gum or candy (to stay alert) Other Items                White/black cotton socks (calf or boot height) Hunting (wool) socks for winter Hand/Toe Warmers Black knitted caps Stationery & Envelopes Pens/Pencils, highlighters Assorted greeting cards for soldiers to send to family & friends Batteries (AA, AAA, C, 9-Volt) Rechargeable ones are GREAT! Glade Stick-ups or room deodorizers Bug Repellent in lotions & pump-spray bottles-- NO AEROSOL Small spiral memo pads for notes while out in the field Small flashlights (powered by AA, AAA, AAAA batteries) Ziplock bags – gallon sized Bandanas Anything to help them keep cool              Duct Tape, carabiners Sunglasses - black only, NO “mirror” types Fly swatters and fly paper Bed pillows/pillow cases Boxer shorts T-shirts (size large and up) Scissors, tape Bungee cords Boot laces Patriotic knick-knacks, USA flags, Texas flags, baseball caps, jerseys, banners to tack on their walls or tents Small alarm clocks – wind up or battery operated Water bottles, travel mugs Coffee makers, filters, small coffee grinders Entertainment               Web-cams – we sent two around Christmas, and for many of the families at home it was the first time they were able to see their loved ones since they’d left Digital cameras – also sent two around Christmas - one wife said all she wanted for Christmas was a picture of her sweetie Footballs, baseballs, gloves, NERF footballs - new or used Crossword Puzzles, Word Search, Sudoku Playing Cards, board games, card games, dominoes (UNO, checkers, chess,etc.) Jigsaw puzzles, poker chips & mats, dice, yo-yos Magazines, paperback books – new or used. Remember, any month is “new” to them! Frisbees, hackey sacks Portable CD players, MP3 players, earbuds iTunes gift cards DVD’s, Music CD’s – new or used Hand-held electronic games Computer flash drives & thumb drives Drawing pad/ pencils K-9 Items - Here is G2TT's list of most requested items which are approved for military K-9 working dog use: Dog Brushes - Furminator® brand are the most requested and according to the handlers they do the best job). These brushes are expensive, but the handlers love them as they get the dead fur/undercoat out. Water bowls - The kind the troops need are called "Buddy Bowls"® (it's a brand name) and they are used when the dogs are on long patrols to make sure the dogs are hydrated. Again, these are a bit expensive, but worth the cost. Collapsible bowls such as the Outward Hound® Port-a-Bowls are also desired. Latex Toys They cannot accept toys made in China, unless the toys are made by Hartz or some other reputable brand. They definitely cannot accept Walmart specials. Toys must be latex - not vinyl. Tennis balls are not allowed. Snacks and Treats - Such as dog bones, Milk Bone Biscuits and rawhides. They must be in unopened packages and cannot be made in China. Most American brands of treats you find in the supermarkets are fine. We're currently inundated with bone-shaped biscuits - please consider another brand/type of treat like the ones above. Thank you! Dog Shampoo - They need to be unscented as scented kinds will interfere with the dogs' smell. Brands like Hartz are good. Kong toys (and refills) These are made of a very hard (and doggie-approved) rubber that are used by the handlers to reward the dogs for finding something and refills are always in short supply. The handlers can stick a little treat inside and the dogs will have endless hours playing with the toy until they finally retrieve the treats. They're also used for training purposes. Kong toys can be found in most supermarkets and pet stores. Cooling vests for hot months (March through September) - It gets very hot in the Middle East, so the dogs could use large size cooling vests during day missions. The U.S. military canines that sniff the roads of Iraq and Afghanistan for deadly bombs tend to be German shepherds and Labradors. Bred for cooler climates, canines can suffer in the blistering heat. When they dogs are hot, they pant more, which diminishes their ability to detect explosives, putting American troops at risk. By the end of the summer, temperatures can reach 135° F in the Middle East! Dog vests like the "RPCM Chilly Dog Cool Vest" can help! The vest wraps the dog's ventral abdomen with cooling packs to maintain a constant 59°F for up to 3 hours in 100° temperatures. It recharges in ice water in minutes. Most cooling vests can be worn under ballistic vests*. Dog Goggles eyewear for dogs also known as "Doggles®". These goggles have 100% UV protection, shatterproof, anti-fog lenses and help dogs who need eye protection from the sun's harmful rays, flying debris, wind, rocks, or bugs. Dog Booties provide extreme protection from most conditions. They are designed to keep paws clean, protect against injury and sharp objects, and to be used on hot and cold surfaces. Science Diet and Science Diet ZD Dog Food (DRY; SMALL BAGS ONLY!). The dogs are on restricted diets and are NOT allowed any type of canned food. Except for snacks and treats, the only brand of dog food they may have is Science Diet® (Dry) dog food. Suggested web sites to purchase these items are: www.rayallen.com www.EntirelyPets.com www.thebuddycompany.ca www.kvvet.com www.helpingudders.com www.thepamperedpetmart.com www.petco.com www.doggles.com www.ruffwear.com