Here are many ways you can help our troops.

SEND A THANK YOU NOTE TO A SOLDIER

The Cell Phones for Soldiers program was started in April of 2004 by 13-year-old Brittany Bergquist and her 12-year-old brother Robbie of Norwell, Massachusetts. After hearing a news report about a local soldier who ran up a massive phone bill calling home from Iraq, they decided they wanted to do something to help. Brittany and Robbie donated their piggy bank money, collected snack money from their friends at school, and with $21.00, they went to the bank to open an account. Their goal is to help our soldiers serving overseas call home. They hope to provide as many soldiers as possible with prepaid calling cards for now with an ultimate goal of providing banks of satellite phones, video phones and VOIP communications. Through generous donations and the recycling of used cell phones from drop-off sites across the country, they have already distributed thousands of calling cards to soldiers in Iraq, Kuwait, Afghanistan and elsewhere.

For more information go to: http://www.cellphonesforsoldiers.com/

http://www.iraqstar.org/

Military site that helps our soldiers

Operation Troop Support

I have started this site in memory of my cousin who was killed in action in Afghanistan this year.

Its an effort to connect our troops with their families back home using their computers using software to use voices instead of text.

http://patriotfiles.org/troopstories.htm

http://patriotfiles.org/

Gift Certificates through AAFES

"Receiving confirmation that Americans back home are thinking of you while you're far from home is critical to good morale," AAFES Chief of Corporate Communication

Army Lt. Col. Debra Pressley said. "Send a gift certificate to a soldier through www.aafes.org, or when you see a person in military uniform, shake their hand and say thank you for serving our country."

Gifts from the Homefront gift certificates may be redeemed at any AAFES exchange worldwide, including 52 BX/PX facilities throughout OEF/OIF. Troops use the certificates to purchase items ranging from personal-care items, sodas, candy and snacks, to DVDs, televisions or video games.

Those wishing to send a Gift from the Homefront can log on to aafes.org or call (877) 770-4438 to purchase gift certificates in $5, $10, $20, $25 or $50 denominations.

From there, the Gift from the Homefront may be distributed through a number of sources.

Links to Support And Help Our Troops

www.aafes.com/docs/homefront.htm - AAFES Gift Certificates
The Army and Air Force Exchange Services is where most service men and women do their shopping. You can purchase gift certificates for those in Iraq and those hospitalized.

www.freedomquilts.net: Freedom Quilts wants to Honor the Soldiers who have lost their lives fighting terrorism since Sep 11, 2001. Betty wants to give a Freedom Quilt to the families of the fallen soldiers. Look under Soldiers for more info

www.adoptaplatoon.org/ - Adopt a Platoon
Adopt a Platoon has several ongoing projects to ensure that every soldier overseas does not walk away from mail call empty-handed.

www.AnySoldier.com/index.cfm - AnySoldier
Any Soldier is a non-profit organization that helps people send care packages to members of the armed services in Iraq.

www.appreciateourtroops.org - Appreciate Our Troops
Purchase a Support Our Troops mug and a free personalized mug will be given to a current or former service member.

www.operationshoebox.com - Operation Shoe Box
Send packages to troops.

www.usocares.org/ - USO Care Packages
Send packages to troops. You can sponsor care packages provided by the USO with a $25 donation.

www.bluestarmothers.org - Blue Star Mothers
The Blue Star Mothers was founded by service members' moms during World War II. Any mother with a son or daughter in the military can join.

www.booksforsoldiers.com/ - Books For Soldiers
Help the troops escape boredom by donating some books. You can also donate DVDs and CDs requested by soldiers.

www.operationpaperback.org - Operation Paperback
Recycled reading for our troops.

www.campdoha.org - Camp Doha
Camp Doha provides valuable information for those about to deploy, their friends and families, and anyone who wants to support the troops.

www.cellphonesforsoldiers.com/pages/1/index.htm - Cell phones for Soldiers
Donated cell phones are recycled and turned into cash. The cash is used to purchase calling cards for soldiers in Iraq.

www.defendamerica.mil/nmam.html - Defend America
Thank any service member stationed throughout the U.S. and the world with an e-mail.

www.give2thetroops.org - Give 2 The Troops
Send letters and messages to troops.

www.lettersfromhomeprogram.org/ - Letters From Home
Support the troops by sending letters so that they receive mail.

anyservicemember.org - Operation Dear Abby
Send a greeting to a service member via e-mail. This site allows you to send e-mail messages of support to service members.

www.platoonphone.com/ - Operation Call Home
Operation Call Home's mission is to provide each platoon with its own satellite phone.

www.operationac.com/
Operation Air Conditioner provides not only air conditioners but space heaters (the desert is cold in the winter) for soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan.

www.heromiles.org/ - Operation Hero Miles
You can donate your unused frequent flier miles to help soldiers travel on emergency leave. They are also used to help families fly to hospitalized soldiers.

www.operationiraqichildren.org/ - Operation Iraqi Children
Many soldiers are rebuilding schools in Iraq and scrounging around for school supplies. Help by donating a school supplies kit.

operationmilitarypride.org - Operation Military Pride
Operation Military Pride is a volunteer organization that sends cards, letters, and care packages to troops.

www.operationuplink.org/- Operation Uplink
Donate money to Operation Uplink. The money is used to purchase phone cards so service men and women can call home.

www.soldiersangels.org/heroes/index.php - Soldiers' Angels
Become some soldier's angel by adopting a service member. This site also provides links to other informative sites.

www.treatsfortroops.com/ - Treats for Troops
Treats for Troops helps you provide packages to your loved ones overseas. If you don't know anyone, the Foster-A-Soldier Program matches you with a registered soldier by branch of service, home state, gender, or birthday - or you can choose to sponsor a group of soldiers.

voicesfromhome.org/home.html - Voices from Home
Voices From Home allows military members and their families and friends to send and receive immediate voice e-mail messages to and from remote locations around the world.

www.nmfa.org - National Military Family Association
Provides information for families of those who serve.

Operation Helmet-provide upgrades for helmets for our soldiers.

www.specialops.org - Special Operations Warrior Foundation
Helping the Children of Fallen Special Operations Warriors

www.hugs4smilesusa.org - Hugs4SmilesUSA
Hugs4SmilesUSA will assign you a deployed soldier and/or family to send care packages and correspondence.

www.americasupportsyou.mil - America Supports You
Provides contact information for organizations that support and communicate with our troops.

www.treatsfortroops.com -will send treats, packages, and has information on many other ways you can help the soldiers.

Let’s Say Thanks Here’s what the website of Let’s Say Thanks has to say about their organization:

“The mission of Let's Say Thanks is to provide a way for individuals across the country to recognize U.S. troops stationed overseas. By submitting a message through this site you have the opportunity to send a free personalized postcard greeting to deployed servicemen and women.

The postcards, depicting patriotic scenes and hometown images, were selected from a pool of entries from children across the country.

All you have to do is click on your favorite design and either select the message that best expresses your sentiment or draft a personal note. The postcards are then printed on the Xerox iGen3^® Digital Production Press and mailed in care packages by military support organization Give2TheTroops^®.

Xerox is committed to helping people across the nation express their gratitude to our troops overseas. The launch of this program is aimed at reminding them how much Americans appreciate their service.”

Go to www.letssaythanks.com to send a postcard today!e troops.

• www.freedomcalls.org provided assistance so a soldier could watch the birth of his daughter

Other Sites Offering Assistance to our Troops in Iraq:
www.americasupportsyou.mil
www.landstuhlhospitalcareproject.org
www.militaryconnection.com
www.militaryfriends.net

www.military.com

Military Relief Societies (make donations to):

www.afrtrust.org/ - Armed Forces Relief Trust

www.aerhq.org/ - Army Emergency Relief

www.nmcrs.org - Navy/Marine Relief Society

www.cgmahq.org - Coast Guard Mutual Assistance

www.usometrodc.org/care.html - Operation USO Care Package

www.redcross.org/services/afes/0,1082,0_321_,00.html - Support the American Red Cross Military Members and Families Services

 http://www.saluteheroes.org/ Salute Our Heroes

“Mission Statement:  The Coalition to Salute America's Heroes is a non-profit, non-partisan 501(c)(3) organization, created to provide a meaningful way for individuals, corporations and others to help our severely wounded and disabled Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom veterans and their families rebuild their lives.”

http://www.bakemeawish.com/operation-birthday-cakes.php

Check this site out!