How You Can Help From Home

Write caring note cards/letter

Cards are a great way to brighten a troops day, giving letters from “home” is a simple way to remind the troops what they are fighting for. Cards may be decorated in any way desired they may just be filled with drawings or you may include uplifting messages.

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Make sure you:

• Include return address’ so troops can write back

• Leave the envelope unsealed so letters may be approved before sending

• Address each card to 2731 North First St. San Jose, CA 95134

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Some nice phrases to include:

• We appreciate all you do so much!

• Thank you for fighting for us and this country.

• I wanted to write to you to remind you that you are loved and appreciated.

• Your bravery and passion is unparalleled in this service

• Brilliant soldiers like you give us all hope for a better tomorrow

• Remember that you are loved 

• May your day be filled with all kinds of wonderful things

• Sending cheerful thoughts to brighten your day

• I admire your bravery

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Decorate pillow cases

Decorate Pillow cases with uplifting, cheerful, or patriotic messages/drawings! Be creative and have fun.

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Materials Needed

• Plain unused pillow cases

• Any kind of fabric markers

• Poster board or cardboard to prevent ink leaking

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Steps to Decorating

• Place a poster board or similar item in the pillowcase so the ink doesn't leak to the other side of the pillowcase

• Use fabric markers to decorate one or both sides of the pillowcase/s.

• Wash decorated pillowcase/s.

• Optional: fold and place each pillowcase in a quart Ziploc bag, you can even add a small personalized note facing outward so OCC can see it easily.

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Donate essential items

The following care and comfort items are needed on a continuing basis for care packages for our deployed U.S. Forces:

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• gallon, quarter, sandwich, and snack sized Ziploc bags (to make care packages)

• hand written cards and letters of encouragement for our troops

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Snacks, Foods, and Treats

• Individually wrapped hard candy (like Twizzlers, Tootsie Pops, Skittles, etc), chewing and bubble gum, mints, breath strips (no homemade items please; chocolate is accepted October-March)

• small packages of nuts, seeds, pretzels, cookies, chips (Pringle type containers best), crackers, Corn Nuts, fruit snacks and fruit leather, squeezable apple sauce

• Trail mix, energy, protein, breakfast and granola bars, instant oatmeal, Kraft Easy Mac, Cup a Noodles/noodle bowls, pop tarts, small cereal boxes (one serving)

• Powdered, sweetened drink mixes (Gatorade, Crystal Light, Kool-Aid), ground or instant coffee, tea bags, hot chocolate, cider mix, stevia, sugar, sweetener, Coffee Mate, and condiment packets, instant soup (Lipton, Miso soup, etc)

• Canned meats (no pork!), stews, chili, ravioli and spaghetti, soups, pop-top fruit, beef jerky, non-refrigerated microwavable meals

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Personal, Hygiene, Toiletries

• Hotel/travel sized gel deodorant, shampoo, lotion, bath gel, toothpaste and mouthwash, toothbrushes, dental floss and lip balm

• hair bands, clips, bobby pins, tampons, maxi and mini pads, oil free face cleaner, makeup remover, nail kits, mascara and makeup

• eye drops, nose drops, unscented baby wipes or body wipes, sanitized wipes/hand sanitizer, good quality razors and blades, shaving gel and powder (no aerosol cans!)

• small Kleenex packets, Q-tips, anti-fungal creams, band-aids, medicated foot powder, sunscreen, cotton calf length socks 

• No scented bar soap, please!

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Entertainment and Leisure

• DVDs, CDs, game consoles and games (even older models as long as you have the connectors), AAA and AA batteries, pens, pencils, blank greeting cards and stationary, stickers, AT&T phone cards, adult color and puzzle books, colored pencils and sharpeners, playing cards, dice, hand held games and puzzles, funny papers and crossword page from newspapers

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Seasonal

• hand and foot warmers, gloves, sunglasses, neck coolers

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Where to Send Items

2731 North First St. 

San Jose, CA 95134 

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Contact Information:

https://www.occ-usa.org/contact-us/