Would you like to help brighten up the holidays for a service member, veteran or their families?  The American Red Cross has kicked off its Holiday Mail for Heroes program.    They’re partnering with Pitney Bowes for the fifth annual program.

Pitney Bowes helps gather the cards and screen them for safety reasons.  Red Cross staff and volunteers around the world sort the cards and see that they’re delivered to military members, veterans and their families.

Red Cross spokesman Peter Macias says he recently spoke to a friend in the military who had just returned from the Middle East.  His friend received a stack of 25 cards last year wrapped in a red ribbon from the local Red Cross office.  Some of the cards were store bought and some were handmade by children.  He told Macias it was a great way to spend the holidays away from home.

You can make or buy a card and mail it to the Holiday Mail for Heroes post office box or you can make the  card on line.  You can fill out your message at mailforheroes.com. It just costs $1. A card will be generated and sent off to the troops. 

The deadline is December 9^th. For more details on the program, go to redcross.org/holidaymail

The mailing address is: