Northeast Florida Rallies to Deliver 1,000+ USO Care Packages

If your kids come home with a mountain of Halloween candy (we’ve been there!), here’s the sweetest way to share the love: donate it to Treats for Troops, our annual community drive that turns post-Halloween goodies and heartfelt notes into care packages for deployed service members. Our goal this year is 1,000+ care packages for the USO—and with your help, we can get there.

ONE Florida Group Drops off over 600 care packages to USO.

Why This Matters Here at Home

Pictured below Trick or Treaters donate some candy to Ship at Naval Station Mayport  Northeast Florida is a proud military community. Many of us served here and chose to make the First Coast our forever home—just like we did. With **two major Naval installations—NAS Jacksonville and Naval Station Mayport—**we have thousands of active-duty men and women serving right here in our backyard. Treats for Troops is our way of lifting them up during the holidays and sending encouragement to those deployed abroad.

How It All Started

Years ago, while her husband was deployed, our founder Amy Howell rallied neighbors to fill a pallet of care packages for his ship. That one act of gratitude sparked a tradition that has grown every season. Last year, we assembled 636 care packages—enough to boost morale across multiple units—and we’re aiming even higher this year.

How the Drive Works

1) Gather what you’ll donate
We accept factory-sealed items only:

• Candy & sweets: non-melting candy, lollipops, gummies, gum; individually wrapped chocolate (dark travels best)

• Snackables: granola/protein bars, nuts, trail mix, jerky, dried fruit, instant coffee/tea/cocoa

• Comfort & practical: travel-size toiletries, wet wipes, lip balm, socks, playing cards, pocket notebooks, pens

• Personal notes: kids’ drawings and thank-you letters are gold—keep messages positive and encouraging

(Please avoid liquids/aerosols, alcohol, vape products, opened or homemade foods, and anything prohibited by USPS or military guidelines.)

2) Drop your donations
Use the live Donation Box Location Map on our page to find a nearby collection site: We are preparing to deploy our boxes starting October 1st.. If you want to host a box reach out below.

3) We sort, pack, and route through the USO
After collections wrap, our team organizes items into care-package-ready assortments and coordinates with the USO to distribute them to deployed service members.

The Timeline (October ➝ Veterans Day)

• Collection Window: We collect all throughout October and up until Veterans Day.

• Veterans Day Packing Party: On Veterans Day, we host our favorite tradition—a big community packing party—and we’d love volunteers to join us! Bring your good vibes (and maybe a friend or two). We’ll have stations for sorting, note-writing, packing, taping, and labeling.

  • Want to help? RSVP/volunteer via the form below so we can plan supplies and stations.

Volunteer Roles (great for families, teams & clubs)

• Sorting Crew: group like items and check packaging

• Note Ninjas: handwrite short thank-you notes and tuck them into boxes

• Pack & Tape Team: assemble boxes, pack with care, seal and label

• Load-Out Helpers: move completed boxes to the staging area

What Goes in a USO Care Package?

Depending on the mission and season, packages may include toiletries (toothpaste, razors, shampoo), snacks & drink mixes, comfort items (socks, hand warmers), and morale boosters like notes and holiday treats—portable, useful, and smile-inducing.

Last Year’s Impact—This Year’s Goal

• 2024: 636 care packages (well beyond our initial target!)

• 2025: Together, let’s cross 1,000+ care packages for deployed service members through the USO.

4 Easy Ways to Help Right Now

1. Donate candy & snacks at any box on our Donation Box Location Map

2. Write a thank-you note or have your kids color a “Message for a Hero”

3. Volunteer on Veterans Day (RSVP on our page so we save you a spot!)

4. Host a collection box or sponsor supplies (businesses, schools, churches, gyms—reach out and we’ll set you up)

Ready to make a difference?

Clean out that candy bowl, add a few shelf-stable snacks, tuck in a kind note, and drop everything at a nearby Treats for Troops box. Small gestures add up—let’s hit 1,000+ care packages together and remind our deployed service members that their First Coast community is behind them all the way.