“You brought joy to the troops!…your kind words and thoughts mean a great deal to all of us. Being away from home for long periods can be very difficult and it’s compounded by the holiday season…Our job in the military can be challenging. Knowing there are men and women back home who understand and appreciate some of the sacrifices made is a source of strength and comfort…”
~ USAF Captain

Dear Friends and Supporters,

The holiday season is upon us and United For The Troops is preparing for our biggest mission of the year, Operation Defend the Holidays. More than merely a “care package,” United For The Troops packages are gifts that say, “we care.” So, once again, we turn to our UFT family, dedicated community and benevolent supporters as we continue to bring a little holiday cheer and good will to deployed service members.

It takes a village and there are a variety of means in which you can join UFT’s Hometown Troops. We can arrange a scheduled pick-up for large item donations.

How you can Help

DONATE - banker-style cardboard boxes with lids (i.e. W.B. Mason office supply cartons). We are in need of large quantities of these boxes to sort and then transport gift package items to our packing destination
WISH LIST COLLECTION - items from the UFT WISH LIST our heroes say they miss

UFT WISH LIST

CREATE CARDS & LETTERS - colorful/creative cards or letters with messages of thanks and good wishes are the heart of a UFT gift box

PROJECT SOIL - this signature UFT Program sends a bit of American soil, so our heroes don't feel so far from home
- Project Soil Kits can be picked up from the red bin located at 16 Boniello Dr., Mahopac, NY 10541
- Purchase 2" x 3" (2MIL) zipper bags at a craft store of Amazon
- Put a spoonful of soil from your yard in the bag. NO POTTING OR COMMERCIAL SOIL PLEASE!
- Affix an American Soil label to soil bag and staple bag to a card with a message to service member

“...a few of us decided to carry [the "soil bags"] in our medical pouches on missions...if one of our Green Berets was "expectant," we could sprinkle the dirt beneath him...if he were to expire, he could die on American soil."

SPONSOR an AMERICAN HERO - donate $15 via Venmo (Patricia Rathschmidt @UFT-2007) On the "Pay or Request" page, under "What is it for?", enter "Sponsor an American Hero" and type the message and any salutation you would like, to be included on the custom card that will be inserted in the gift box acknowledging your sponsorship of the package shipping fee. "when prompted to enter the last 4 digits of Patricia's phone number, select "Pay without Confirming"

RECOMMEND A DEPLOYED HERO - send us the names & addresses of deployed service members not currently receiving our gift boxes in the recommendation section of our website contact page. Gift boxes are provided to deployed American Service Members free of charge.
GENERAL DONATION - contributions in any amount help defray general shipping & operating expenses and are greatly appreciated. General Donations can be made via Venmo (Patricia Rathschmidt @UFT-2007) *when prompted to enter last the last 4 digits of Patricia’s phone number, select “Pay Without Confirming”

DOUBLE YOUR DONATION! Many companies offer matching gift programs to encourage employee giving. Most programs match contributions dollar for dollar, and some may double or triple the amount of your gift. Some even provide matching funds to support employee volunteer hours.

Since 2007, the mission of United for the Troops has been to bring a little comfort to service members by sending the comforts of home they miss most while serving abroad. Thanks to an engaged community of volunteers and committed contributors, we have shipped over 28,000 gift boxes to deployed American heroes, connected their families here on the home front, and continue to serve the needs of these heroes when they return home and transition to life as veterans.

We thank you for your continued generosity and unwavering support. As a 100% volunteer-led nonprofit, all proceeds benefit our troops. Please call us with any questions at 845-729-4239, email us at unitedforthetroops@gmail.com, and learn more about us at unitedforthetroops.org.

Warmest regards,

Jim and Pat Rathschmidt
Founding Presidents
United for the Troops

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Dear Friends and Supporters,

How you can Help

United for the Troops

Do YOU know of Deployed Military who would enjoy receiving our care packages?