Operation Love Box

What is a Love Box?

It is what we called the Military Flat Rate boxes that are free at the U.S. Post Office that we fill up with goodies and encouraging notes then mail them to our troops.

Why use the flat rate box?

It is the cheapest way we have found based on the space of the box (12” x 12” x 5.5”), the fact that you are not charged by weight, and all the materials are provided to you free at the Post Office.

Why do you need to send the Love Box to a specific service member and not to “any soldier”?

This is for security and the safety for our Military personnel from our enemies.

How do you get a Military APO address?

We post addresses at the Love Box website www.LoveBoxesForOurTroops.com, ask for an address from a Military family that you know, some state military departments have deployed unit web pages.

If we send numerous boxes to a particular soldier’s APO address will they be shared with others?

Absolutely! The Military culture in combat zones is very close-knit. They always share with their buddies in their units, soldiers that never get any support from home, with other units nearby, and local citizens. We can never send enough boxes to fill the need.

What Items do they appreciate being sent to them?

Here is a list that one state has placed on their website:

FOOD ITEMS:
- DO NOT SEND:
  - Chocolate candy bars because they melt. Liquids that will leak.
- DO SEND:
  - Any kind of junk food that will ship well.
  - Cookies
  - Coffee
  - Beef Jerky
  - Salted Peanuts
  - Cup of Noodles (The “just add hot water” kind)
  - Trail Mix
  - Sunflower Seeds
  - Granola Bars
  - Breakfast Bars
  - Fruit Snacks
  - Bean Dip, Salsa, and Chips
  - Crackers
  - Soup, Canned Chicken (Pop-open cans or send a can opener with it.)
  - Tuna pouches
  - Powder Drink Mixes to add to water bottles. (Kool-Aid, Propel, Gatorade, Instant Coffee)
  - Sugar and Creamer Packets
  - Sauces to liven up the taste of foods (BBQ, Ranch, Ketchup, Salsa, Soy Sauce, Hot Sauce, etc.)
CARE ITEMS:
- Hygiene items, such as toothbrushes, soap, toothpaste, razors, etc. Our soldiers say that because of the generosity of people sending care packages, there are more personal hygiene items stored at the military base camps than they need.
- DO SEND:
  - Canned-air to clean dust out of computers, weapons, and other equipment.
RECREATION:
- DO NOT SEND:
  - It is against military regulations for soldiers to possess pornographic materials, and punishable under the Uniform Code of Military Justice. It is also advised that possessing such is disrespectful to the sensitivities of the Muslim culture.
- DO SEND:
  - Anything that the soldiers can do on their down time that will help them relax. They need things that will help them smile and laugh, they need a little comic relief.
  - DVD Movies (New or Used)
  - Music CDs (New or Used)
  - CDs containing iPOD or MP3 Music
  - Video-taped Oregon State and/ or University of Oregon sporting events
  - Games (Small travel size games are the best.)
  - Books
  - Current Magazines
  - NEWSPAPERS! (Especially the sports sections)
MISCELLANEOUS:
- Travel size laundry detergent
- Small flash lights
- Batteries of different sizes
- Phone Cards (AT&T and MCI work the best)
- Photos and Calendars
- Any specific items give them a reminder of home.
- School supplies or toys to be given to local children.
- TOBACCO:
  - Sending these items is up to your personal preference. The military discourages the use of tobacco, but the reality is that soldiers are asking for it.
  - Cigarettes (Marlboro, Camel)
  - Chewing Tobacco (Skoal, Copenhagen)
HELPFUL WEBSITES:

What materials do I need?

1) You will need the flat rate boxes (MILI FRB). You can pick a limited number up at your local Post Office. Or you can register at the USPS website (Go to the Love Box website for a link) and order boxes, which come in cases of 25, and they will be mailed to your home, office or school for free!

2) Customs Declaration forms (PS Form 2976-A). Since the Love Box is going overseas, you must fill in this form. A sample of how to fill one out is on the Love Box website or you can ask the Post Office staff for assistance. These can also be mailed to you for free!

3) Military APO addresses. We provide them for you at the Love Box website or see the FAQ above.

4) Packing Tape. The Love Box will get bumped around, so we recommend medium or heavy packing tape.

5) Put together an information sheet on how to fill out the declaration form, the postage cost, suggested items to send, and ask them to include an encouraging note or letter. Soldiers will often write back or send an e-mail. You may start a regular conversation with a soldier and be able to provide frequent expressions of support and appreciation.

Do you have ideas on how to use the uploaded presentation?

Yes! The presentation and the Love Box website are for your unlimited use. We are supported by a generous corporate sponsor whose desire is to encourage as many Americans as possible to send boxes to our soldiers. The more the word is spread the better! Here are some ways we have seen this program being used:

For Church presentations: Play the DVD during service, have the members pick up the boxes and materials as they leave. They fill the boxes and mail them at the Post Office. In this way it does not compete with other Church projects or add a burden to Church staff. There are many sermons that can be tied in to this ministry. This is great for Bible study groups. Please read the Love Box Story on this DVD.

For Schools: Teachers can obtain the materials, hand out the suggested items lists, ask students to bring items to school and have a packing party in class. Soldiers will often write back or send an e-mail and may be able to provide to the students an education about what they are experiencing.

For Businesses: Find out from your customer base if there are any deployed relatives and then have a Love Box packing party for them. They will be customers for life!

For Civic organizations, Veterans organizations, Local and State agencies, Parties, the possibilities are endless.