About Our Care Packages

People often wonder what they should send in care packages to Soldiers. We want the Soldiers to be genuinely excited when a J.O.S.H. care package arrives so we strive to send the best possible care packages. We focus our efforts on sending good quality products in all of our care packages.


On this page you will find a list of the items we typically ship. This is not an all inclusive list, just the most popular items. If you would want to receive an item in a care package, then chances are the soldiers will too.


Just as important as what we do ship, is what we do not ship. Please see the section below for items that we either cannot ship or will not ship.

Male hygiene care package items

Male hygiene care package items

Items We Cannot Ship

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Items J.O.S.H. Will Not Ship

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Donated Items

If you would like to donate items, we request:

  • Beef Jerky/Slim Jims (Short Type)  
  • Nuts (Individual Bags)  
  • Tuna (Foil Pouch)  
  • Coffee (One pound bags or smaller, ground only)
  • Crystal Light, Gatorade, Mio, Propel (Individually Packaged Water Flavors)  
  • Antiperspirant/Deodorant (Axe, Degree, Dove, Right Guard - solids only)
  • Baby Wipes (Huggies or Pampers) 
  • Body Wash (Full size Axe, Dial, Dove, Nivea, Old Spice)  
  • Razors, lubricated only (Schick or Gillette –  We do not ship generic razors.)   
  • Shaving Cream or Gel (Barbasol or Gillette Fusion. Squeezable tubes only.  We cannot ship aerosols of any kind.)


Other items we ship include:


Food

  • Chicken and Tuna Salad (Foil Pouch or Ready to Eat Kits)
  • Dried Fruit
  • Easy Mac in Cups
  • Granola Bars/Energy Bars/Protein Bars (Clif, Kind, Nature Valley Crunchy)
  • Instant Coffee (Individually Packaged)
  • Microwavable Popcorn (Orville Redenbacher's, Pop-Secret, or ACT II) 
  • Pop Tarts 
  • Protein Shake Powder
  • Pumpkin Seeds
  • Rice Krispie Treats (Winter months only)
  • Sandwich Crackers (Keebler or Lance)
  • Sunflower Seeds
  • Trail Mix 

Hygiene 

  • Bar Soap  
  • Chap Stick, Carmex, Blistex 
  • Dental Floss
  • Eye Drops 
  • Fabric Softener Sheets (small boxes) 
  • Feminine Hygiene (Tampax Sport, Playtex Pearl, Always Pads)   
  • Laundry Detergent (Small bottles of liquid detergent or small bags of laundry pods) 
  • Lotion (Hand and Body – Bath & Body Works is a big treat for females) ​
  • Toothpaste/Toothbrush 
  • Over-The-Counter Medications (Nothing with aspirin and no sleep-aids) 
    • Advil  
    • Bengay 
    • Cough Drops 
    • Icy Hot 
    • Motrin 
    • Neosporin 
    • Tylenol 

Miscellaneous  

  • Air Fresheners (Solids or Beads) 
  • Military Boot Socks
  • Brown/Black Hair Ties for Female Soldiers  
  • Socks, White or Black (must cover ankle, no logos) 


Please note that J.O.S.H. ships specific brands in our care packages.  It is most helpful to us if we receive donations of the brand names we have listed beside the items.  We try to make all of our monthly packages as consistent as possible.


We cannot/will not ship anything that is an aerosol, spray bottle, or has a nozzle.  We are not allowed to ship aerosols and liquids that have nozzles often leak.  


J.O.S.H. has been accused of being picky and perhaps we are., but our mission is about building morale as much as providing necessities.  We want our packages to be as special as they can possibly be.  

Soldier with a J.O.S.H. care package

Soldier with a J.O.S.H. care package