Holiday Mail for Heroes to Deliver Greetings to U.S. Military Members and Veterans

/PRNewswire/ -- In this season of hope and giving, the American Red Cross and Pitney Bowes Inc. have joined forces again to invite the public to "send a touch of home" to United States service members and veterans across the country and abroad through the Holiday Mail for Heroes campaign.

Now in its third year, the Holiday Mail for Heroes program provides Americans with the opportunity to extend holiday greetings and thanks to service members and veterans. Last year the program received more than 1.4 million cards for military men and women, their families and veterans.

The public can participate in the campaign by sending holiday cards with personal messages to a special post office box from Monday, November 2 through Monday, December 7. The Red Cross and Pitney Bowes will then screen cards for hazardous materials, sort and package the cards, and deliver them to military bases and hospitals, veteran's hospitals and other locations in the U.S. and abroad during the holidays. Pitney Bowes is providing all screening, packaging and shipping at no charge, as well as providing thousands of volunteer hours around the country. The Red Cross will utilize volunteers at over 300 participating chapters nationwide to sort and deliver greetings to military and veteran's hospitals and military bases in November and December.

Joining the campaign this year as spokesperson is contemporary music artist and American Red Cross celebrity cabinet member Amy Grant.

"I am honored and thrilled to be a part of the Holiday Mail for Heroes program," says Grant. "The service that our military men and women provide this country year-round is invaluable and I feel it is especially important to give thanks for their sacrifices during the holiday season."

Grant will celebrate the campaign's official launch with the Red Cross and Pitney Bowes at a Veteran's Day event in Washington where she will join military and public guests in signing holiday cards for the program.

"The United States currently has 1.4 million active duty members, reservists and guards serving within our borders and abroad. Additionally more than 24 million veterans have faithfully served our country in the past," notes Sherri Brown, Sr. Vice President of Service to the Armed Forces at the American Red Cross. "With increased chapter participation this year we hope to reach many more service members and veterans who may be spending this holiday season away from home or without loved ones," says Brown.

"The men and women who serve our country in uniform deserve our thanks every single day, and sending just one card is all it takes to make a difference in the life of one of our nation's heroes," said Jon Love, President of Pitney Bowes Government Solutions. "We are honored to participate in this important initiative again with the American Red Cross and look forward to helping the public say happy holidays and thank you."

Holiday cards should be addressed and sent to:

Holiday Mail for Heroes
P.O. Box 5456
Capitol Heights, MD 20791-5456

Please be sure to affix adequate postage. Cards must be received no later than December 7. Cards received after this date will be returned to senders. For reasons of processing and safety, participants are asked to refrain from sending "care packages," monetary gifts, using glitter or including any inserts with the cards.

Additional ways to become involved with the campaign include connecting with fellow card senders through Facebook at www.facebook.com/redcross and Twitter at www.twitter.com/redcross and #holidaymail.

For more information and card requirements, please visit www.redcross.org/holidaymail.

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