Boxes for Soldiers of Hudson Valley

Boxes for Soldiers of Hudson Valley BFS began in 2012 as a grassroots holiday care package drive: 83 boxes sent. In 2017, the drive was

04/18/2023

Don't forget to register for HERo Run 2023 on June 10th in Warwick, NY, or virtually from anywhere! This annual 5K/10K run/walk is in memory of our HERo, LTC Jaimie Leonard, who was killed in action while serving in Afghanistan. We will have some awesome guests joining us this year in Warwick. Don't miss it!
Sign up at: https://www.givesignup.org/Race/NY/Warwick/HERoesinDeedHERoRun

Hello all and happy belated Thanksgiving! Boxes For Soldiers received a request from one of our overseas contacts in ear...
11/30/2022

Hello all and happy belated Thanksgiving! Boxes For Soldiers received a request from one of our overseas contacts in early November. They asked if we could help with a mission: to bring some joy and comfort to the local nationals in Africa by sending toys, school supplies and clothing for our military members to distribute. These acts of goodwill go a long way in helping to open lines of communication and trust that in turn help to protect our troops.

The turnaround time was short, so the drive for items was not publicized. Our volunteers and regular supporters contributed items and cash to make this unexpected drive happen. And look at the results! 18 large boxes filled with goods! Many thanks to those who donated cash that enabled us to purchase items. Huge thanks to Walmart for their generous donation of clothes and sports equipment. Thanks to HERoes In Deed for their cash donation that paid for two carts' worth of toys and Chester Kiwanis for picking up the cost of shipping. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Hello all! We are happy to report that BFS 2022 was wonderfully successful. We now have 158 large boxes in the mail, on...
05/17/2022

Hello all! We are happy to report that BFS 2022 was wonderfully successful. We now have 158 large boxes in the mail, on their way to their destinations overseas. The large boxes we shipped are the equivalent to 407 individual care packages (USPS large flat rate boxes): a new BFS record. We couldn't have done it without your donations and the support of a lot of volunteers and local businesses (*both of which will be acknowledged in a separate post ). Here's a rundown of some of the Requested Items (shipped) final tally: more than 64 footballs, soccer, volley and basketballs (plus 12 ball pumps); 35 jump ropes; 20 area rugs; 14 boxes of golf clubs, balls and tees; 14 American Flags; 400 boxes of Girl Scout cookies; 4 giant pallets of snacks, nuts, crackers, jerky, granola etc; and much more. See pictures below.

Thank you to all for making this drive a success. It's been a tough time for many over the past couple of years: your donation, large or small, is greatly appreciated. When we hear from the troops, we'll let you know.

On behalf of our troops serving overseas, THANK YOU!

We're getting down to the wire, friends, as the collection of items for our troops concludes this weekend! There's still...
04/28/2022

We're getting down to the wire, friends, as the collection of items for our troops concludes this weekend! There's still time to donate, if you haven't already. If you have already donated, thank you so much!

We'll post some pictures as we sort, count and pack items. And of course, we'll let you know the final tally :)

04/19/2022

Hello Friends!

Ready? Set? GO! Collection bins are located in Middletown, Chester, Goshen, Florida and Warwick, as listed in an earlier post. We'd also like to welcome the Town of Woodbury's Police Department as a new collection location in addition to Golden Hill Elementary School in Florida.

Fill those bins up, friends! Our men and women serving overseas will be thrilled to receive cookies, Trail mix, drink mix packets and more...Just check the Requested Items list for ideas.

If you'd like to volunteer to help with packing, please reach out through our email: [email protected].

Thank you for your support!

Hello all! Are you donating any sports balls to this year's drive? Would you be so kind to let the air out first?! It'd ...
03/28/2022

Hello all! Are you donating any sports balls to this year's drive? Would you be so kind to let the air out first?! It'd be great if you deflate!
This way, we don't pay to ship air...and our volunteer packers can pack more quickly.

Thank you!

HELLO All! It looks like Spring has arrived...and our 2022 Care Package drive is around the corner. Listed below are the...
03/18/2022

HELLO All! It looks like Spring has arrived...and our 2022 Care Package drive is around the corner. Listed below are the items that have been requested by the locations we are supporting. Collection bins for donated items will be in place on April 20th (see locations below).

If anyone has a connection to a person or company that might be able to help provide any of the Requested Items, or financial support, we would greatly appreciate the help! FB PM us or email the address below.

2022 REQUESTED ITEMS LIST
Items are being shipped to troops in Africa.

FOOD ITEMS
Freezer flavor pops (Gatorade preferred)
Electrolyte single serving drink mixes, e.g. Propel & Gatorade
Healthy snacks: nuts, jerky, dried fruit, Trail Mix, protein bars
Tuna packets
Cookies & Snacks
Candy bars (No chocolate please, it will be a melted mess!)

EXERCISE & MORALE ITEMS
Mesh Sports Jerseys
Volleyballs, basketballs, soccer balls, footballs
Badminton equipment
Bowling yard games
Co****le Bags
Stretch Bands & Jump Ropes

MISC
American Flags (3’x 5’ suggested)
Small area rugs (36” x 40” or so)

Items are being collected from April 20th- April 30th and can be dropped off at: Amore’s Pizza, Goshen; McGovern/Kaplicki Team @ Keller-Williams Realty, Middletown; Chester Library; Patriotic Ins., Chester; Florida Library; Warwick Town Hall; Leo Kaytes Ford, Warwick; Albert Wisner Public Library, Warwick; Anytime Fitness, Warwick.

Monetary donations are gratefully accepted. Please make checks out to:
Boxes For Soldiers, c/o R. Bowen, Patriotic Insurance, 78 Brookside Ave., Chester NY 10918

For more info: [email protected]

01/24/2022

Hello and Happy New Year to all! Here we are, already late January, but looking ahead to Boxes For Soldiers 2022. I am happy to report that this year's drive for items to be included in our care packages will take place from April 20th through April 30th!

The destinations for our boxes will be announced once they are finalized, along with the items being requested by the units we are supporting. Drop-off locations for donations as well as all other details will be posted in early April.

Do you want to help? Cash donations are greatly appreciated. Are you a member of a club or organization? Perhaps you could sponsor a mini-drive among your members for requested items. Do you have some free time? We'd appreciate help with sorting, counting and packing of items! Message us through FB and we'll get back to you!

On behalf of the military members we support, thank you and see you soon!

I am remiss for not posting sooner, but wanted to acknowledge Veterans Day. My own dad served in WWII- see pictures bel...
11/15/2021

I am remiss for not posting sooner, but wanted to acknowledge Veterans Day. My own dad served in WWII- see pictures below. Several Uncles served as well: the Greatest Generation. Numerous cousins served in Viet Nam and came home to an unwelcoming country. My oldest son is currently serving.

I recall my mom telling stories about how she took trains from place to place as she followed my dad receiving training in various states around the country. On at least one occasion, he had already been relocated by the time she arrived.

My daughter-in-law is often a single mom, because Matt is away. My grandkids don't know that most families don't move across the country (or the globe) every few years and that most kids don't change schools that often. It's not an easy life, but it is what Matt chose and what his wife has supported.

In military life, the family serves along side the Veteran. Please remember our Veterans and their families on Veterans' Day, and every day. They deserve our respect and our support, always.

07/14/2021

We’d like to thank everyone who participated in this year’s success: Warwick Town Hall, Albert Wisner Public Library, Leo Kaytes Ford (Warwick); Amore’s Pizza (Goshen); Patriotic Insurance, Chester Public Library (Chester); Florida Public Library; and Keller Williams Realty (Middletown) for serving as collection sites of donated goods.
We thank Heart of the Hudson Girl Scout Council for their generous donation of 21 cases of Girl Scout cookies for inclusion in our boxes- what a sweet treat from home! We deeply appreciate the generous checks received from the Warwick Rotary and HERoes Indeed: your support is invaluable! Many thanks go to the guys from Triple Bogey Golf for their generous donation of military boot socks and Pez dispensers. UNFI provided us with an amazing array of food items straight from the Items Requested List- a wonderful donation! Thank you to the children from the Florida, Chester and Goshen schools who wrote cards and letters for inclusion in our boxes.
Thank you to all the groups who solicited donations of items or funds in our behalf- we truly appreciate the support.
We are so appreciative of the generous use of space at the lovely Warwick Conference Center, where we had more than enough space to spread out all the donations for sorting, counting, packing and storing until ship date(thank you Albert!) as well as a beautiful view. We thank Track 7 and Guardian Storage for their generous donations of boxes and packing tape. Thank you to Bo Kennedy for picking up and recycling our cardboard pile. Thank you to Jose Velez of the USPS and his postal workers for their cooperation and support of our cause.
In addition to the donations enumerated above are all the individual donations of time, money and items that made the drive so successful. Each bag of chips, pair of flip flops and bundle of Paracord enabled us to help fulfill the requests from the units we supported. Thank you to all who contributed, no matter how large or small! Without you, the drive couldn’t happen.
Thank you to all the groups who collected items on our behalf, like Warwick Rotary, various Scout groups, OC Dept. of Mental Health and more. Thank you to all those who helped count, sort and pack items and also to those who volunteered to SC&P but who didn't get to join us. Your support is deeply appreciated. Finally, to those who sent a check, donated through PayPal or dropped off cash, you are so appreciated! We used those donations to purchase items that were on the Request List.
Huge thank you to Brian Caplicki and Tracie Chernowski of McGovern-Caplicki Keller-Williams team in Middletown for their tremendous financial and moral support of BFS. Your commitment to our troops is awesome. Thank you so much!
We look forward to our next drive, May 2022 and hope to have YOUR support again next year.
God Bless our military members!

Address

Chester, NY

Telephone

(845) 610-5700

Website

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