Holiday Mail For Heroes

(Saw this press release on the Red Cross site and thought I'd share)

“Holiday Mail for Heroes” to Deliver One Million Cards to Service Members and Families

Red Cross, Pitney Bowes to Screen, Sort, Deliver Cards Before Holidays


WASHINGTON, Monday, November 10, 2008 — The American Red Cross and Pitney Bowes Inc. are teaming up to send holiday cards to service men and women in the United States and around the world. From Tuesday, November 11 until Wednesday, December 10, the public is invited to send holiday cards with their message of thanks and cheer to a special post office box. 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 during the holidays.

Holiday Mail For Heroes continues the Red Cross tradition of service to the armed forces, which includes handling emergency communications that link service members with their families back home, providing access to financial assistance from the military aid societies, counseling, referral to community resources and assistance to veterans. Pitney Bowes is providing all screening, packaging and shipping at no charge, as well as providing thousands of volunteer hours from employees around the country.

“This opportunity is such a great way for the public to personally support the military and say a special thank you for their service this holiday season,” said Gail McGovern, Red Cross President and CEO. “I’m especially proud that the Red Cross is able to be a part of this effort, and I hope everyone will take the time to join us and send an extra card for the military.”

In 2007 Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C. approached the Red Cross to distribute thousands of holiday cards coming to the facility for wounded troops. The Red Cross reached out to Pitney Bowes to turn the project into a larger opportunity that could reach members of the military at other facilities. In all, nearly 600,000 cards were screened for hazardous materials, sorted, and delivered in 2007.

“Pitney Bowes is proud to be working with the American Red Cross again to help Americans extend their well wishes and gratitude to the heroes who serve and protect our country,” said Jon Love, President of Pitney Bowes Government Solutions. “Last year’s program was a huge success and we look forward to working with the public to reach even more wounded service members and their families this holiday season to show appreciation and support.”

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 10. Cards received after this date will be returned to senders. To help speed the sorting process and delivery of cards and notes before the holidays, mailers are encouraged to refrain from sending “care packages,” monetary gifts, using glitter or including any other inserts. For a full list of recommended guidelines and best practices, please visit Redcross.org/holidaymail. Cards are also available to print out from the website, along with messages from Red Cross National Celebrity Cabinet Members Dr. Phil McGraw and Nancy O’Dell, co-anchor of Access Hollywood. You can also leave a message on the Red Cross Service to the Armed Forces Facebook Wall.

About the American Red Cross:
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and counsels victims of disasters; provides nearly half of the nation's blood supply; teaches lifesaving skills; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a charitable organization - not a government agency - and depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its humanitarian mission. For more information, please visit www.redcross.org or join our blog at www.redcrosschat.org.

About Pitney Bowes:
Pitney Bowes is a mailstream technology company that helps organizations manage the flow of information, mail, documents and packages. Our 36,000 employees deliver technology, service and innovation to more than two million customers worldwide. The company was founded in 1920 and annual revenues now total $6.4 billion. More information is available at www.pb.com.