the hero care package experience
A Story of Our Inspiration
Free 2-day shipping- insurance & premium products
- military donations
When we pulled into port in the Navy, sailors who had been at sea for months would wait for hours in line just to see if they got mail, rather than go out on liberty in a foreign port. But as an officer, I was always broken hearted when I saw some of my sailors who didn't get packages-- or when they did, the packages often contained things that they couldn't use or didn't quite want.
So I tried to figure out why. Over the years, I talked to family and friends to find out what the obstacles to sending packages were. The biggest problem? Sending a care package to a military installation is just too much work. Between waiting in line at the post office and paying $18 for the "military discount" shipping option, it wasn't easy to do. And even when loved ones could send things, most people didn't know what to send. They'd send chocolate to a soldier or marine in the desert, non- regulation gear to Air Force members staying on an overseas base, or perishable items to a Navy sailor. But every service has different needs, requirements, and regulations. As sad as my fellow sailors were when to get these things, they couldn't fault the well-intentioned package sender. Those back home just wanted to do their part.
We created this company to fix all of that. We pick products that we know service members want so you don't have to. We coordinate with the APO and FPO shipping so you don't have to. And we ensure that it's easy for you to send a care package to the hero you love. Because they deserve it. Our goal is to send as many care packages as we can to our service members abroad. Won't you help us meet that goal? Jack Wray CEO, Hero Care Packages
WHO WE ARE
We are a 100% veteran-owned and run small business who creates care packages to send to soldiers, sailors, marines and airmen both at home and abroad. We make sure we stay on top of the ever-changing requirements to send packages to the APO/FPO system, and use our experience and unique military connections to make sure we get the best care packages for your service member.
Our goal is to make it as easy as possible for you to send a care package to your service member, and get as many care packages as we can into the hands of those defending our country both at home and abroad.
What Are My Options?
Every situation is different, so these are just common ideas and options we've done in the past. Be sure to reach out to our team to see what may work for you
Donation Drives
Many people come to us asking to donate care packages. We partner with a great non-profit, Soldier's Angels. (We aren't a non-profit ourselves.) We normally do one of two things:
We can create a custom product page for your company, complete with branding and copy that you decide. Then, you can direct people to that page to purchase individual care packages, write their own notes, and pay for it with their own credit card.
If you want to be the one to gather the funds, that works just as well! We can simply send you an invoice for the right number of care packages, and on payment, we'll fulfill and ship. Normally, these have one message (e.g., (Thank you for your service, from Acme Corp.").
Targeted Care Package Purchases
This option is tailored more for where you have a specific person, unit, or group where you'd like to send care packages.
Reach Out To Learn More!
How We Get Great Value
Our Care Packages are as little as $59, and valued as high as $575. Here's how we do it
-
1
Predicting
DemandOur business model and advanced website analytics gives us insight into how much inventory we should take on. Because we are constantly checking our supply and demand, we can run a lean operation.
-
2
Large Buys
We make big, dedicated purchases that helps bring down our partners' manufacturing costs substantially. We pass that on to you, who passes that care package on to your service member.
How We Provide Value
Some People Ask: Why not just do it yourself?
When we tried to find out why so few service members got care packages, we found out that the single biggest driving force behind it were the huge hurdles to mailing a care package. Here's what you have to do:
- Pick the Contents: You need to get the actual contents of the package, and make sure they're something that is actually useful to your service member. (This varies by service.
- Check Military Regulations: Then you have to make sure the package and its contents doesn't violate any of the military, state, or DOD guidelines (which vary by service and unit). Not only that, but you must ensure the things you buy are actually regulation. Not all shirts, toiletries, bobby pins or hats are regulation, and sending the wrong kind means they're useless for the service member. Possession of some items are illegal and could get them in trouble with their superior officers.
- Stand in line and fill out forms at the Post Office: Even if you can do all that, you have to drive to the post office, stand in line, and fill out shipping and customs forms (and have to choose between PS Form 2976, PS Form 2976-A or PS Form 2976-B) listing each item in the package line by line, estimating relative weights and values of each item. Different sized boxes require different forms.
- Pay for Shipping: Then, the shipping costs. Just a 5-lb care package at the post office often costs more than $20. The "military discount" flat rate box is $18. Check out how much it would cost you here.
How do we fix it?
We ship everything priority mail. No waiting 3 months for a boat to travel around the world to your loved one. We get it there via air, and get it there as fast as possible.
- We Save you Money: We buy in bulk to get low prices every day.
- We Take Care of the Regulations: We stay on top of all the regulations, so you can be confident you're not getting your service member in hot water by sending the wrong gifts. We make sure that every package is DOD-compliant. Any uniform items are regulation. Any toiletries are allowable (ships, for example, have very strict requirements here). And we make sure that the care packages are 100% useful for your loved one.
- Shipping is Cheap and Painless: We partner with USPS to get low rates on shipping, and then pass on the savings to you. We don't charge you those rates from the post office, because we think $23 shipping is ridiculous too, and it shouldn't cost you an arm and a leg to send your hero a care package.