ATASCADERO REPUBLICAN WOMEN FEDERATED

My name is Si Tenenberg. Since November 2006, I have been running an organization that buys, packs and delivers care packages to our men and women serving in the armed forces in Afghanistan. We have come a long way in the last seven plus years, delivering almost 12,000 care packages, mostly to troops located at forward and combat outposts embedded with the local military.

I continue to get many emails direct from individual troops in Afghanistan, both those that have received help from us in the past, and first-timers that have heard of our work. I go through as many of these as I can every night and select the most needy, compiling a list of 50 recipients to pack and mail boxes out to every week. Accordingly, each of my shipments go directly to one soldier, sailor, airman, or marine and they in turn pass out the goods to other troops in their direct command. Their return emails and letters tell me how much they appreciate the care packages. While some troops are adequately provided for, most of those at the forward operating bases and combat outposts are still in desperate need. This is where the bulk of my packages are sent to.

Not only are we supporting the combat troops and bomb sniffing K9 teams, but have significantly increased humanitarian packages for the children living in the local villages. School supplies, clothes, and other badly needed items are included, and emails from our men and women in arms describe how this approach to winning the hearts and minds of the local villagers helps get our troops home quicker. In these kinds of conflicts, needed supplies for the locals that come from American citizens are an incredible counterbalance to the terrible things that happen to non-combatants in this kind of warfare.

Although time hasn't changed our mission of supporting American armed forces overseas, it has changed the details. We are now concentrating on adjusting to the drawdown in our forces in Afghanistan. Instead of less need for our service, the reduced number of troops means that the companies that have contracted with the U.S. for food, laundry and commissary services are packing up their operations because the big money has been made. This will leave the prospective 12,000 troops that will stay behind to help train the Afghan Army and coordinate counter-terrorist campaigns in even more need than ever. These troops will be mostly in the more rugged and remote areas in Afghanistan, with less non-combat support than ever.

We are always looking for friends of the American Military that are interested in helping these brave men and women as they serve their country under difficult circumstances. Time and willing hands as well as money are all commodities in short supply.

Troop Care Packs would like to do more for our men and women serving overseas, but we are perpetually short of three commodities: Resources for supplies; purchasing/packing/shipping labor; and cash donations.

 

1) Better not to donate supplies directly. First of all, the box is only 12x12x5-1/2 inches, and we've thrashed out all the thinking on what is best for the box based on feedback from the recipients. Secondly, Ok Boxes can usually get a better deal as a 501(c)3 wheedling for discounts from suppliers, so each donated dollar goes a little farther. (If you're reading this and think that you can throw your weight around to get better pricing, please get in touch with Si Tenenberg via the "Contact Us" text link in the upper left hand corner. We would like to speak with you.)

2) Each box is unique depending on several factors. These include the season, final destination and gender/age/type of recipient. A winter box for a female staff sargent in Mazar-e-Sharif is way different than a summer box for a child in Kandahar.

3) Because of customs and some legalities of soldier's mail in a war zone, we are required to send our boxes via U.S.P.S to the government depots where they are transported by them to the recipient. That means dealing with the Post Office and it's pricing and lines and what have you. We have developed a relationship with certain stations that helps speed things up a bit.

CHILDRENS ITEMS:

School supplies (pencils, pens, chalk, rulers, writing paper, erasers, scissors, tape, staplers, glue, coloring books, crayons, etc), children's hot and cold weather clothing and shoes. Beanie Babies™ and other small stuffed animals, small children's toys.

K9 CORP ITEMS:

Dog treats, rawhide bones,squeaky toys, balls, grooming supplies, leashes, pig ears

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You can go to Si's Website

http://troopcarepacks.org/

http://troopcarepacks.org/contact.html

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By email

sitenspot@aol,com

on facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/si.tenenberg