Packages From Home for Soldiers

The Morning Beat, along with The Big Talker FM, community partner Step Up For Soldiers, and media partner WWAY TV3, collects simple items for shipment to military personnel stationed overseas.

Several sponsors are given special display and collection receptacles and participate in the collection of items at their retail locations. Community groups and military personnel collaborate in picking up collected items at the sponsor’s location, packaging the items, and shipping the packages directly to the military units.

WWAY is accepting donations and is located at 615 N Front St. For more drop-off locations visit The Big Talker.

Items You Can Donate

FOOD:

Any ready-to-eat food items! Some examples:

• Kool Aid Singles (pre-sweetened)
• Crystal Lite Singles
• PRE-SWEETENED powdered drink mixes (Gatorade, KoolAid, etc)
• Vanilla wafers ('Nilla Wafers)
• Graham crackers
• Coffee (ground; vacuum packs or small cans)
• Canned chili, ravioli, spaghetti-o's etc.
• Campbells Chunky soup ready-to-eat
• Boxed or canned potato chips
• Canned salsa or potato-chip dip
• Canned fruit
• Canned tuna
• Sunkist tuna "Lunches To Go"
• Sunkist Chicken "Lunches To Go"
• Power bars or Energy bars
• Any canned meat product
• Boxed cookies
• Beef jerky
• Kellogg® Pop Tarts
• Trail mix
• Chewing gum
• Candy bars (Bit-o-Honey, etc)
• Hard candy
• SweetTarts, Tootsie Rolls, PopRocks, etc.
• Peanut butter in plastic container
• Jelly in plastic container
• Ritz crackers, Wheat Thin crackers
• Rice Krispie bars
• Granola bars
• BREAKFAST CEREAL individual sized
• SMALL size hot sauce in plastic jars
• Plastic forks, knives, spoons
• Paper bowls, paper plates
• Small manual can openers
• Individual packets of mayo, relish, etc.
(Can be purchased at bulk-rate stores)

PERSONAL & HYGENE:

• Insoles for shoes
• Eye drops (for desert environment)
• Lip balm
• Eye wash
• Travel size pillows and pillowcases
• Twin size bed sheets and pillow cases
• 1" paint brushes (to clean fine dust out of guns)
• Fine makeup brushes (also to clean guns)
• Talcum powder - small size
• Deodorant
• Body wash - small size in plastic container
• Hand sanitizer - small to medium size
• Mouthwash - small plastic containers
• T-shirts
• Towels
• Hand & Body Lotion - small to medium size
• SOFT 2-ply toilet paper (Charmin, Northern...)
• Personal/body wipes (or baby wipes)
• Band aids
• Shampoo (small to medium size bottles)
• QuattroPro razors and refills
• Mach 3 razors and refills
• Disposable razors, double or more bladed
• Shaving gel (not aerosol)
• Aftershave gel (no glass bottles)
• Thick cotton black socks
• White crew socks for exercising
• Black shoe polish
• SOFT COTTON boxer shorts (the funnier the better) Medium to XX-large
• Nail clippers
• Eyeglass cleaner
• Bounce sheets (for fleas), flypaper, etc...
• Lysol/Clorox cleaning wipes, etc.
• Laundry detergent TABLETS or
• Laundry detergent in SMALL boxes
• Table top flashlights
• Mag lights

FOR FEMALE PERSONNEL:

• Hair bands
• Hair clips
• Small mirrors
• Non-aerosol hair spray
• Hair gel
• Facial cleanser, moisturizer

RECREATION:

• Model car or airplane kits
• Glue, paint & brushes for model kits
• CURRENT sport or computer magazines
• Frisbees
• Disposable cameras
• Hand held video games (poker, solitaire, etc.)
• Playing cards
• Board games (used okay) up to 12" long box
• Crossword puzzles
• AA & AAA batteries
• Compact Disc players
• Music CDs
• Personal size DVD players (used ok)
• Movie DVDs
• Laptop computers (used okay)
• Dominoes
• Yo-yo's
• Baseballs and softballs
• Baseball catcher gloves
• Stationery, pens, envelopes, etc.
• Beanie Baby type small stuffed toys
• AT&T International PHONE CARDS (Be sure they are the kind you can use to call FROM the mideast TO the United States)

WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR WILLINGNESS TO DONATE!

!Please Note!
-- We can not send alcohol, x-rated material, tobacco/cigarettes or pressurized items.
-- Please avoid donating items in glass containers.
-- Please avoid larger items such as quart size shampoo or large mouthwash.
-- Plastic containers are best, in sizes up to about 10" tall.