How to Participate in Coupons for Troops Program

Military wife Toni Anderson, also known as the HappyHousewife blogger, wanted to help out other military families on Veterans Day, commemorated this year on Nov.11. So in 2008 she began the Coupons for Troops campaign, to provide expired and non-expired coupons to military families stationed around the world.

From personal experience, she knew prices in overseas commissaries are significantly higher than those in the United States but military families don't always have access to coupons in newspapers and inserts. Happily, military commissaries overseas accept coupons up to six months past the expiration date, so why not share the wealth?

Anderson matches up each Coupons for Troops participant with an overseas military family. Each contributor then sends unsorted coupons directly to the assigned family via their FPO or APO address, which costs no more than mailing a packet stateside. Participants can send as many or as few coupons as they like but should only send coupons that expired within 3 months, so families have time to sort and use them.

Military commissaries accept manufacturer coupons as well as Internet printed coupons. The commissary is a grocery store, so only grocery coupons are needed. Families can't use such store specific coupons as Target, Walgreens and Kroger.

If you would like to participate in the program, either to receive or send coupons, you'll find specific details and a contact form here.

Here are some other ways Anderson recommends supporting our troops.

• Participate in the Holiday Mail for Heroes. (This looks like a great project for schools, scouts or other clubs)
• Place a yellow ribbons on your car or tie a yellow ribbon around a tree in your front yard.
• Invite a Single Service Member over to your house for dinner. People are usually pretty good about doing this around the holidays, but they would enjoy a home cooked meal any time of the year.
• If you know someone who is deployed send them a letter or a care package. Make sure you check with someone who knows them well to see what they really need.
• Tell them you appreciate their service to our country. You might be surprised how rarely they hear this.
• If you own or manage a store, give a military discount. Even 10% is appreciated.
• For families whose loved one is deployed… invite them for dinner or bring them a meal.
• Offer to babysit….military families often spend months apart. Mom and Dad would love to have some time alone together.
• Call to check up on the families with a deployed loved one. A lot of times they would love someone to talk to. Don’t think it is a bad time… if it is they just won’t answer the phone.
• Be a friend; military life can be hard on everyone. There are frequent moves, separations and other trials. Friends can make all the difference to a military family.
• Attend a troop homecoming.
• Offer to babysit for the spouse who is on the home front during the deployment. They could use some quiet moments to themselves.
• Help the family out by offering to run an errand; return library books and videos, run to the post office and pick up milk, especially if you’re already going there.
• Pray for the troops overseas, the ones here at home and the families that support them.