Northeast News
November 8, 2012

As Veteran’s Day approaches, the American Red Cross is giving people a way to honor soldiers, veterans and wounded warriors.

“Holiday Mail for Heroes” encourages people to write heartfelt messages in holiday cards and mail them to a designated post office box.  Each card received will be screened for hazardous materials by Pitney Bowes, then reviewed, sorted and distributed by Red Cross volunteers.

“The cards and personal messages, sent by tens of thousands of Americans, provide a welcome touch of home for our troops during the holiday season,” said Will Sisson, military services representative for the Red Cross of Greater Kansas City.

Cards should be addressed and sent to:
Holiday Mail for Heroes, P.O. Box 5456, Capitol Heights, MD 20791-5456.

Please observe the following guidelines to ensure a quick reviewing process:
•Ensure all cards are signed.
•Use generic salutations such as “Dear Service Member.” Cards addressed to specific individuals cannot be delivered through this program.
•Only cards are being accepted. Do not send or include letters.
•Do not include email or home addresses on the cards.
•Do not include inserts of any kind, including photos.
•Please refrain from choosing cards with glitter or using loose glitter as it can aggravate health issues of ill and injured warriors.
•If mailing a large quantity of cards, bundle and place them in large mailing envelopes or flat-rate postal shipping boxes.  Cards will be removed from envelopes before distribution.

Each year, the Red Cross provides assistance to more than two million service members and many of the country’s 24 million veterans. The Red Cross supports military families, military and veterans hospitals and provides emergency communications across the globe.