NEWS RELEASE
Greater Ozarks Chapter Reminds Public to Send
‘Holiday Mail for Heroes’ by December 10
WASHINGTON, December 6, 2010 — For the fourth year in a row, Pitney Bowes Inc. (NYSE: PBI) and the American Red Cross are collecting cards from the public to distribute to U.S. military service members, veterans, and their families across the country and abroad this holiday season. However, the December 10 deadline for cards is approaching fast.
“During the past three years, Americans helped send three million cards to our service members and veterans through Holiday Mail for Heroes, and we are expecting another high volume of cards this year due to positive response,” said Vicki O’Meara, executive vice president and president of Pitney Bowes Management Services. “To help make sure there is enough time to process, sort and deliver cards before the holidays, we are encouraging the public to send their greetings for the campaign by December 10.”
“There are currently 1.4 million active duty service members, and tens of thousands of will find themselves away from home during this holiday season,” said Sherri Brown, senior vice president of Service to the Armed Forces at the American Red Cross. “Through Holiday Mail for Heroes, Americans can help send a touch of home to our men and women in uniform, their families and many of our nation’s 24 million veterans.”
To participate in the campaign, the public can send holiday cards with personal messages to:
Holiday Mail for Heroes
P.O. Box 5456
Capitol Heights, MD 20791-5456
Cards must be postmarked no later than December 10. Please be sure to affix adequate postage. For reasons of processing and safety, participants are asked to refrain from sending “care packages” or monetary gifts; using glitter; or including any inserts with the cards.
The public can also support military members, veterans and their families this year by making an online donation at www.redcross.org/holidaymail. Donors can add a personal message to one of four holiday cards designed by American Red Cross National Celebrity Cabinet members Amy Grant, Jane Seymour, Miley Cyrus and Dr. Phil McGraw. The Red Cross will then deliver the printed holiday card to a military member, veteran or family.
The Red Cross and Pitney Bowes will screen cards for hazardous materials, sort and package the cards, and deliver them to military bases and hospitals, veteran’s hospitals and other locations in the U.S. and abroad during the holidays. Pitney Bowes is providing all screening, packaging and shipping at no charge, as well as providing thousands of volunteer hours around the country. The Red Cross will utilize volunteers at more than 200 participating chapters nationwide to sort and deliver holiday greetings to military and veteran’s hospitals and military bases throughout December.
Additional ways to become involved with the campaign include connecting with fellow card senders through Facebook at www.facebook.com/redcross and Twitter at www.twitter.com/redcross and by using the #HMFH or #holidaymail hashtags.
For more information and card requirements, please visit www.redcross.org/holidaymail.
About the American Red Cross:
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies nearly half of the nation's blood; teaches lifesaving skills; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a charitable organization — not a government agency — and depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit www.redcross.org or join our blog at http://blog.redcross.org.
About Pitney Bowes:
Celebrating its 90th year of innovation, Pitney Bowes provides software, hardware and services that integrate physical and digital communications channels. Long known for making its customers more productive, Pitney Bowes is increasingly helping other companies grow their business. Pitney Bowes is a $5.6 billion company and employs 33,000 worldwide. Pitney Bowes: Every connection is a new opportunity™. www.pb.com
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Joann Moore
Public Information Officer
Financial Development Assistant
American Red Cross
Greater Ozarks Chapter
1545 N. West Bypass
Springfield, MO. 65803
417-832-9500 EXT. 107
Fax 417-866-3649
Toll Free: 1-866-206-0256 EXT. 107
moorej@redcross-ozarks.org
SHOP OUR ONLINE STORE-www.redcross-ozarks.org/store
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. … Click on the link www.redcross.org/BeRedCrossReady and GET PREPARED!
