Cypress Cares - For Our Troops
 
 
Want to Contribute?
 
Suggestions from those who have "been there, done that" are to give prepaid phone cards and gift cards from AAFES (Army and Air Force Exchange Service).  These will support our troops two fold because besides them being able to call home, the proceeds from the purchase will go directly towards troop Morale, Welfare and Recreation.  Click on the pictures below to go to the AAFES website to purchase either of these cards. 
 
       Phone Cards:                                                                       Gift Cards:   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Our need right now is for care package items as well as financial assistance to cover shipping costs of our boxes.  Below is a list of suggested donations for the packages.  This list is rather long, but it is not all-inclusive.  Think SMALL, pocket-sized, troops must be able to pack and carry what they receiveand if you can, think PROTEIN!
  No large boxes, bottles or cans, please!
 
Please do not send aerosol items or pressurized (such as shaving cream or canned cheese), chocolates (we do not want to send these between April 1 and September 30), pornographic materials (strictly forbidden), alcohol, pork items or items with pork by-products.
 
Batteries must be alkaline,  nickel cadmium or nickel metal hydride.  Lithium is restricted in International mail.
 
Sunscreens, shaving creams and bug sprays must be non-aerosol. 
 
If you have a question about particular items, please feel free to contact us and we'll try to help you out.
 
 We have received a suggestion from the frontlines -
"no more little bottles of shampoo/conditioners/bodywash"
We will continue to ship these if they are received, but we are trying to discourage donation of these items as we don't know the conditions of each of our troops, so we don't partiularly know if they can utilitze these items.
Cypress Cares will focus our attention for personal hygiene products on other items such as mouthwash, baby wipes, toothpaste/toothbrushes, sunscreen and moisturizers. See the "suggested donations" list on the website for more hygiene options.
 
 
FOOD ITEMS:
*Microwave-able meals from Dinty Moore, Franco American and Chef-Boy-R-Dee
*Instant Coffee
*Tea Bags
*Non-Dairy Coffee Creamer
*Powdered Gatorade
*Powdered Hot Chocolate
*Kool-Aid (presweetened)
*Water Flavorings (such as Crystal Lite)
*Slim Jims and Beef Jerky
*Chex Mix, Trail Mix, Poppycock
*Crackers
*Cookies
*Single Serving Bagged Chips
*Little Debbie Snack Cakes
*Rice Krispie Treats
*Dry Cereal (small boxes)
*Microwave Popcorn
*Granola Bars and Pop Tarts
*Power Bars
*Small boxes of dry breakfast cereals
*Dried Fruit
*Tuna or Chicken (canned or in a pouch)
*Spices
*Instant Oatmeal
*Salsa
*Lollipops
*Hard Candy
*Bubble Gum
*Marshmallows
*Canned or Instant soup
*Ramen Noodles and Cup a Soup
*Kraft Easy Mac
*Canned Fruit
*Canned Beans and Franks, or chili
*Fruit/Jell-O cups and puddings (NOT needing refrigerated)
 
PERSONAL ITEMS:
*Baby/Wet Wipes (used for bathing in lieu  of showers)
*Disposable Razors
*Toilet Paper (1" by 4" rolls)
*Blistex, Vaesline & Burt's Bees for sun-chapped lips
*Toothpaste
*Toothbrushes
*Mouth Wash
*Dental Floss
*Deodorant (roll-on or gel only)
*Eye Drops (relieves irritation from sand)
*Saline Nasal Spray
*Kleenex (individual packs)
*Contact lens cleaner
*Chapstick
*Sun Block (non aerosol)
*Aloe Vera
*Bug Spray (non aerosol)
*Lotion (tube only)
*Baby Powder
*Foot Powder
*Socks(white, black, brown or green)
*Gloves(black, brown, green & warm)
*Towels (for body, hands and face)
*Combs and Brushes
*Cotton Balls
*Q-Tips (travel packs - to clean ears AND guns!)
*Nail Clippers
*Nyquil and Dayquil
*Tylenol
*Dr. Scholl's Moleskin (for blisters)
*Hand Warmers
 
 
 
PRACTICAL ITEMS:
*LED Headlamps (for night shift)
*Batteries-AA (non Lithium)
*Phone Cards (AT&T)
*Clorox Wipes
*Stress Balls
*Small Flashlights
*Hand Warmers
*Paper and Envelopes
*Pens and Pencils
*All Occasion Blank Note Cards (birthdays, holidays...)
*Journals
*Magazines
*Newspapers
*Paperback Books
*Jokes and Comics
*Puzzles
*Writing Paper, Envelopes, Pens
*Disposable Cameras
*Yo Yo's
*Squirt Guns
*Frisbees
*Dart Boards
*Hackie Sacks
*Jump Ropes
*Mini Fans
*Balloons
*Bandannas
*Wool Blankets
*Twin Bed Sheets
*Febreze
*Candles
*Electronics Handhold Games
*Portable CD players
*CDs
*DVDs (recent movies are a BIG request)
*Fly Tape & Monster Fly Traps
 
FOR FEMALES:
*Feminine hygiene products (Tampons, panty liners)
*Pony tail holders
*Hair clips
*Q-tips
*Small mirrors
*Body sprays (non aerosol)
*Hair spray (non aerosol)
 
 
 
Troops are happy to give some items to the children they encounter.  See the photo on our "response letters" page for a photo.  Some ideas for this are:.
• Soccer Balls, Footballs (mini size)
• Frisbees
• Small toys
• Stuffed Animals
• Child sunglasses (Hot item)
• Bubble gum/Chewing Gum
• Potato stix (small cans)
• Chips
• Pretzels
• Rice Krispie Treats
• Goldfish crackers
• School supplies
 
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