Every winter, people across the country send cards and donations to members of the military and veterans in the hopes of bringing them some holiday cheer.
But, while well-meaning, some of those cards and donations likely won't get to the right hands due to some outdated information that is posted online every year during the holiday season.
One such post circulated each year encourages people to send cards addressed to "Any Wounded Soldier" to the old D.C. address for the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Snopes reports. But the medical center stopped accepting such cards more than 20 years ago and has been in Bethesda, Maryland, for years.
"The U.S. Postal Service will not accept mail addressed to 'Any Soldier,' 'Any Wounded Soldier,' or the like because if they did, it could be providing a conduit for those who might do harm to armed services members," Snopes reports. "Such offerings are either returned to sender (if a return address has been provided or if one is found within the package) or donated to charities (if no address for the sender is found)."
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How to Address Holiday Cards for Soldiers and Veterans
The American Red Cross Holidays for Heroes program, formerly known as the Holiday Mail for Heroes program, allows local communities and people around the world a way to honor service members and veterans with donations, including holiday cards.
In the D.C. area, the American Red Cross of the National Capital Region accepts donations for local service members and veterans.
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Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia local news, events and information
Cards and donations can be mailed to or dropped off in person at:
Attention: Holidays for Heroes
American Red Cross of the National Capital & Greater Chesapeake Region
8550 Arlington Blvd.
Fairfax, VA 22031
Because of the influx of holiday cards, the Red Cross encourages donating holiday cards to the local Veterans Affairs (VA) medical facility or state veterans home.
Walter Reed National Military Medical Center cannot accept in-person or mail donations. To ensure donations are properly received and distributed, people must either mail or drop off donations to the American Red Cross of the National Capital Region.
What to Donate to Veterans and Members of the Military
Walter Reed and the Red Cross recommend donating unopened/unwrapped toiletries, low-value gift cards to chain restaurants and entertainment, individually wrapped snacks and new clothing items.
Donations are accepted year-round, and the public can go here for a full list of suggestions on what to donate.
