While American soldiers serve in military deployments around the world and the nation gets ready to observe Veterans Day, Rep. Carolyn McCarthy, D-Mineola, wrote holiday cards to be sent to soldiers this holiday season and urged fellow Long Islanders to do the same.
Starting now and throughout the holiday season, the Red Cross is working with the Pitney Bowes mail technology company to collect and distribute holiday cards to American service members, veterans and their families in the United States and around the world.
McCarthy signed a number of the cards in Washington, D.C. Nov. 2 at a special holiday card signing event on Capitol Hill. She said it was easy for anyone to do the same from the comfort of their own homes or offices.
“We will have brave men and women in uniform serving all over the world this holiday season, and one small way we can give our thanks and a little piece of home to them is by sending them cards through the Red Cross’s ‘Holiday Mail for Heroes’ program,” McCarthy said. “Veterans and their families, too, need to know how deeply we appreciate their sacrifices.”
Now in its fifth year, the Holiday Mail for Heroes program has received more than 1.4 million cards for service members, veterans and their families in communities around the world.
To reach an American service member, veteran or family member, send a card to:
Holiday Mail For Heroes
P.O. Box 5456
Capitol Heights, MD 20791-5456
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.
- All cards being sent in for 2011 Holiday Mail For Heroes program should be postmarked no later than Friday, Dec. 9, 2011.
- Ensure that all cards are signed.
- Use generic salutations such as “Dear Service Member” or “Dear Veteran.” Cards addressed to specific individuals cannot 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.
- Participants should limit the number of cards they submit to 25 from any one person or 50 from any one class or group. If you are mailing a large quantity, please bundle the cards and place them in large mailing envelopes. Each card does not need its own envelope, as envelopes will be removed from all cards 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.
