The Red Cross is sponsoring their fifth year of Holiday Mail for Heroes. This is a program that allows people to send holiday cards to service members, veterans and their families. What a great way to show your support to the men and women in our Armed Forces this holiday season!

All cards must be postmarked by December 9, 2011. Any card postmarked after this will be returned to sender.

Cards should be sent to the address below:

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

Here are the card guidlines from the Red Cross website:

• All cards being sent in for 2011 Holiday Mail For Heroes program should be postmarked no later than Friday, December 9, 2011.
• Ensure that all cards are signed.
• Use generic salutations such as “Dear Service Member.” Cards addressed to specific individuals can not be delivered through this program.
• Only cards are being accepted. Do not send letters.
• Do not include email or home addresses on the cards, as the program is not meant to foster pen pal relationships.
• Do not include inserts of any kind, including photos, as these items will be removed during the reviewing process.
• Please refrain from sending holiday cards with glitter. Many of these cards will be delivered to military and veterans medical facilities and the glitter could interfere with a patient’s recovery.
• We encourage participants to mail as many cards as they are comfortable sending. If you are mailing a large quantity, please bundle the cards and place them in large mailing envelopes or use a flat rate box from the post office. Each card does not need its own envelope, as cards will be removed from all envelopes before distribution.

For further details please visit The American Red Cross.

I have seen a few posts on Facebook that tell you to address your card to “A Recovering American Soldier, c/o Walter Reed Army Medical Center, 6900 Georgia Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20307-5001″. This address is not affiliated with the Red Cross and I have read that these cards will NOT reach their intended recipient.