Say "Thank You" Our American Soldiers

Support our Troops! That phrase is inscribed on bumper stickers, posted in yards and has headlined news reports. But how can mindful Americans make their backing of our military more than mere rhetoric? What is the best way to let a soldier know you are praying for his safe return? How do you send a gift to a loved one serving abroad? The website TreatsforTroops.com makes all this not only possible but effortless.

History

Founded in 2003 by businesswoman Deborah Crane, Treats for Troops allows friends, family, organizations and individuals to sponsor American soldiers at home and abroad. The idea for this program came about when Ms. Crane learned that the "Any Service Member" programs (which had previously made it possible to send mail and care packages to service members) had been cancelled after the anthrax scare of 2001.

How It Works

Treats for Troops offers an online gift shop filled with in-demand gift ideas for men and women serving in the military. By entering an address into the space provided you can send packages to soldiers you already know. Alternately, you use the Foster-A-Soldier feature to shop for any registered service member.

Once the package recipient has been designated shopping at Treats for Troops is as effortless as using any of the large retail websites. Shoppers can either select a pre-designed gift basket or choose from the wide selection of goodies available in the gift shop. Available options include cookies, snacks, personal care items, phone cards, useful gadgets and travel-sized games. After loading up your shopping cart and checking-out the site will even allows you to craft a personalized thank you note to include with your gift.

More about Foster-A-Soldier

The Foster-A-Soldier program makes it possible for anyone to contribute to soldier moral even if you do not personally know a service member. Soldiers are registered for free via the website by friends, family, unit chaplains, or even themselves. All registered soldiers are eligible to receive gifts from sponsors. Sponsors can select their soldier based on military branch, home state, area of deployment, or gender. If no such criteria are designated then the system will automatically select the soldier who has been waiting the longest for a package.

Additional Programs

Treats for Troops has customizable programs to fit every level of support. Beyond the Foster-A-Soldier program there are Corporate Sponsorships, Group Gifts, Unit Support programs, and a Monthly Smiles program that allows you to send a package on a monthly basis. Birthdays and holidays are also celebrated with appropriately tailored selections.

Truly Appreciated

Whether you believe the War On Terror is patriotic or misguided, the brave men and women who put their lives on the line deserve both respect and admiration. All doubt about the benefit of sending a care package is removed once you read some of the thank you notes written by soldiers for their sponsors. If you, too, would like to support our troops with more than a just catch phrase, stop by and send your package today.