Operation Mom, A Military Family Support Group

Little Touch of Home

A "Little Touch of Home" is a local service project to communicate to our service personnel our gratitude for serving our nation and that they are not forgotten.

Our care package program was developed to send our military personnel “A Little Touch of Home”. We want to remind our military that they are not forgotten and appreciated for their sacrifices to our Country and our freedom.   

Each care package is filled with items donated from the community and our volunteers lovingly put them together.  It is a tangible way volunteers can make a difference. 

Over the years, we have compiled a list of items that have been requested by those serving overseas.

When putting together a care package, we keep items separated in baggies to be sure the items are kept fresh and safe. 

Food and hygiene items are put in separate boxes so not to have food items end up smelling like soap or shampoo.  When putting together a box, be sure you keep the smelly items away from food items.    

You can get free postage boxes and custom slips from your local Post Office.  

Operation:MOM uses flat rate boxes from the US Postal Department to send out the packages as funds allow.

Use this list of items to provide or solicit donations. Items must be individual, sample size or individually wrapped. Several items will be packed in sealed zip-lock sandwich size baggies and then placed in shoe boxes for shipping. Our mission is to send "A Little Touch of Home" care packages to our service women and men who do not have support from their families or friends. Each care package is composed of many items in baggies. Baggies do not have to have the exact items in each one. Please follow the guidelines carefully so that time is not wasted on repacking.

Separate items and assembly baggies in the following boxed categories:

Personal Hygiene (if you have baggies just for women or men, then state on the outside of the box which gender they are for.)

Food Items - Fun Items (such as short stories, playing cards, stationary with stamps, etc. Candy may be combined with playing cards)

Suggestions

Anna's fruits & nuts packets (from Costco)
Beef Jerky
Black socks
Bread sticks
Breakfast cereal bars
Chewing gum to clean teeth
Dental floss
Disposable cameras.
Disposable Razors / Mach III Razor refills
Dried fruit
DVD's / CD's / iTune Cards
Electric razors with batteries (Inexpensive)
Foot/body powder
Granola bars
Ground coffee
Gummy worms/bears
Handi-snacks crackers (peanut butter & crackers, etc.)
Hard Candy (Jolly Rangers/Life savers)
Hygiene items for women
Insect Repellant
Jelly Beans
Letter supplies - stamps, envelopes, paper
Meal Replacement bars (Tiger's Milk)
Microwave popcorn
Packaged cookies individual (sugar/chocolate chip)
Playing Cards Phone
Calling card (international)
Powdered form Gatoraid and pre-sweetened Koolaid (troops say it makes their water taste better.)
Pringles chips
Pre-Packaged microwave food
Protein Bars Protein
Power packet
Purex 3-in-1 laundry soap
Q-tips
Sanitary wipes/Baby wipes (personal size or placed in small sealed baggies)
Seasonings-Mrs. Dash, A1 or hot sauce-NO Tabasco
Soap Sunscreen
Tic Tacs
Toilet seat covers
Toothbrush Tooth paste (sample size)
Trail mix (small packets)
Turkey jerky
Underwear
Vitamins
Word puzzles

Other items needed:

Sandwich Ziploc baggies

Personalized greeting card/letter to recipient in an unsealed envelope. You may include a personal note signed by your group or by the individual's first name only.

DO NOT include your last name or address for security reasons.

To donate items or to drop-off assembled baggies (see above guidelines)

We will send out A Little Touch Of Home packages via the U.S. Postal Service as funds allow.

Our specific guidelines are directly from the military channels we have the privilege to serve. Let's all follow them so we are a blessing to our service personnel.