Send Your Heart to the Troops
My Soldier's Community Service Project

Guidelines for a Group Project that aims to send care packages to US troops

Benefits

• Students will develop empathy for soldiers while they write letters that deliver a moral boost for the troops. While participating in this volunteer activity the values of service and community and the knowledge that one person can make a difference will be reinforced.
• The program activities will take place at school, making it easier for a busy student that wants to volunteer but thinks they don’t have the time after fulfilling school, work, family and other commitments.
• Students will be able to select from a variety of roles with varying responsibilities. Committee Chairs (leaders) will be needed for Fundraising, Sponsorship, Publicity, & Operations. 
• The project creates a bond for a common cause, which will result in the deepened ties among classmates and gives them something new to talk about.
  

Needs & Opportunity

Students coping with the demands of everyday life often forget the sacrifice of our soldiers. We take for granted our relative security and prosperity compared to the rest of the world. Soldiers, on the other hand, know all too well the chaos and turmoil of trouble spots because they witness it firsthand. Sometimes, soldiers just need a human touch, an ability to know that someone out there really does care and appreciate what they do, regardless of the political controversy engendered by their assignment. The sophomore class can fulfill this need by writing letters and sending care packages to them. By doing this we will show the service members and their families how much Americans value their sacrifice. 

MySoldier.com has soldiers who would like to participate in special outreach programs but are unable to fund a sponsor. To meet this need, we are proposing that the High School groups pledge to support a platoon of soldiers by mailing them letters and care packages so that they know how much their fellow Americans value their courage and service. 

We want to emphasize the fact that this politically neutral adopt-a-soldier program is strictly about showing support for troops - and is not about politics or the Iraq war. We think this is a way that we can support soldiers overseas without becoming involved in the controversy surrounding the war.

Experienced Partner

For security reasons , the defense Department no longer accepts packages mailed "To Any Serviceperson." However the Manhattanville College MY Soldier office can provide names of specific platoon leaders. Additionally they offer program ideas and guidelines and a free red 'My Soldier' bracelet for each student who participates. Manhattanville My Soldier program is free but they ask for donations that are directly applied to operating expenses from those who can afford it. As an alternative to donations MySoldier.com offers easy to use fundraising kits (click here) that allow groups to make a donation to the college's program while generating their own funds.

Committees & Logistics

If your group has a large number of members you may want to divide up the work and form committees. A Sponsorship, Operations, Fundraising, and Publicity Committee can work to together to make sure that students, their families and community members donate items that can be included in the care packages. Securing donated items will save you money and get more people involved in the cause.

The Sponsorship Committee can have a care package collection drive to secure in-kind donations. (The Sponsorship will need to supply and monitor bins, determine secure collection points). Perhaps they could reach out to some parents who work for companies that would donate items that we could put in care packages (i.e. snacks, health/beauty, magazines)

The Operations Committee will perform all of coordination of packing material, packaging, labeling and shipping via USPS. All military mail must be shipped via the United States Postal Service. The USPS does require either First Class or Priority Mail for military boxes. The Priority Mail offers free packing material (boxes, customs forms with envelopes; which are specially printed for military mailing addresses; and a roll of Priority Mail tape) but postage must be paid for and affixed by sender.

The Fundraising Committee can utilize the My Soldier fundraising kits (that contain bracelets and hats) to generate cash donations to pay for program costs primarily postage/shipping. (The Fundraising will need to determine where and when they could best sell items and if they want to hold any associated events)

The Publicity Committee will work with both of the above Committees to design and create a publicity plan and posters to get the word out.

MYS Group Project Timeline

Phase 1

• Write Proposal or use the one provided
• Submit Proposal to Administration & Class Advisors
• Secure Permissions
• Select date of and publicize first meeting

Phase 2

• Hold first organizational Meeting (Goals: Recruit Participants & Committee Chairs, Brainstorm, Motivate, Set Program Goals and Draft Agenda for next meeting).
• Have second organizational Meeting (Goals: Report on accomplishments and carry out agenda items planned at last meeting. Have supplies to write letters/make cards, and bins to collect care package items).

Phase 3

• Hold third organizational meeting to finalize operations and coordinate all packing & shipping. 
• At third meeting (with follow up as necessary) pack up care packages and prepare them for post office. 

Phase 4

• Post any communications and thank you letters received from soldiers in a central location.
• Group members who wish to receive the My Soldier Community Service Award should submit all compliance paperwork.
  
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