Red Cross “Holiday Mail Call” Program 2008 Guidelines

The  American  Red  Cross  is  pleased  to  announce  that  it  will  sponsor  a  national  ”Holiday  Mail  Call”  program  in  2008  as  it  did  in  2007!   Last  year  the  Red  Cross  reviewed  and  distributed  over  600,000  cards  to  our  wounded  service  members at hospitals  around  the  contry  and  overseas.   This  year  we  want  to  expand  who  is  reached  with  the  holiday  greeting  cards  to  include  not  only  our  wounded  warriors,  but  all  service  members  and  their  families,  as  well  as  veterans.   Our  goal  is  to  reach  1,000,000  persons  this  year  to  show  our  appreciation  for  their  service  and  wish  them  well  over  the  holidy  season  and  with  your  help  we  will!

Start  Date  of  the  Program:   Veteran’s  Day,  November  11,  2008  

Mailing  Address:  

Red  Cross  Holiday  Mail  Call

P.O.  Box  5456

Capitol  Heights,  MD   20791–5456
1.        The  Guidelines  below  should  be  followed  to  enable  a  quick  reviewing  process  as  well  as  to  ensure  that  cards  are  not  offensive  i  any  way  to  anyone  who  might  receive  one:1.Please  ensure  all  cards  are  signed 
2.        Please  send  cards  as  opposed  to  long  letters  which  delay  a  quick  review  process 
3.        Please  do  not  include  e–mail  or  home  addresses  on  the  cards  as  the  program  is  not  meant  to  foster  pen  pal relationships
1.        Please  do  not  insert  photos,  money,  religious  articles  (i.e.–rosary  beads,  prayer  cards,  etc),  glitter,  ‘snow’  or  like  items  in  cards  as  these  items  will  be  removed  during  the  reviewing  process  
1.        Phone  cards  or  gift  cards  will  not  be  accepted  with  cards.   Those  wishing  to  send  calling  cards  or  gift  cards/certificates  should  go  to  www.aafes.com,  scroll  down  to  ”AAFES  Community  Connection”  and  click  on  ”Help  Our  Troops  Call  Home”  or  ”Gift  Cards/Certificates  for  Our  Troops”  in  order  to  send  such  items 
2.        No  ‘Care  Packages’  will  be  accepted  at  this  address.  Those  wishing  to  send  care  packages  should  go  to  www.AmericaSupportsYou.comand  click  under  ”Home  front  Groups”  to  find  out  how  to  send  care  packages 
3.        Participants  are  requested  not  to  send  more  than  25  cards  from  any  one  person  or  50  cards  from  any  one  group. 

1.        End  Date  of  the  Program:   All  cards  must  be  postmarked  no  later  than  Wednesday,  December  10,  2008