Thank you for thinking of our troops!

Thousands of Americans are asking what they can do to show their support for service members. Below are Web sites for several organizations that are sponsoring programs for members of the Armed Forces.

The public is urged not to send unsolicited mail, care packages, or donations to service members during the holiday season.

During this time of the year, the number of donation programs increases and causes mail from families and friends to be mixed with mail from unknown sources resulting in delivery delays.

Service members should receive mail only from those friends and family members to whom they personally give their address.

Military addresses should not be passed around by family member for use by donation program. Unknown mailers could then obtain those addresses and mail harmful items to service members.  

Michigan National Guard Family Fund

Consider a donation to the Michigan National Guard Family Fund. One hundred percent of this not-for-profit fund goes to financially struggling families of deployed Michigan National Guard members.

Send your check or money order to:

Michigan National Guard Family Fund Inc.
3411 N. Martin Luther King Blvd.,
Lansing MI 48906.

For more information, call 517-481-8357.

Military Family Relief Fund

In the Fall of 2004, the Michigan Legislature passed, and Gov. Granholm signed into law, the Military Family Relief Fund Act. The Military Family Relief Fund provides grants to qualifying families of military members in either the Michigan National Guard or Reserves who are called to active duty as a result of the national response to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

Download an application for the Military Family Relief Fund:
MFRF Application

Other sources to support service members

Visit to the following Web sites to show support:

Budweiser honors families with complimentary admission to theme parks.  Here's to the Heroes!

Department of Defense Community Relations

Donate a calling card to help keep service members in touch with their families at the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Operation Uplink athttp://www.operationuplink.org

American Legion activities http://www.legion.org

Learn more about the Michigan Project Blue Star:
 http://www.michigan.gov/homeland/0,1607,7-173-23612_34175---,00.html

To find out ways to support service members and their families throughout the year visit the U.S. Department of Defense at
http://www.defenselink.mil/

Make a donation to one of the military relief societies:

Army Emergency Relief at http://www.aerhq.org/

Navy/Marine Relief Society at http://www.nmcrs.org/

Air Force Aid Society at http://www.afas.org/

Coast Guard Mutual Assistance at http://www.cgmahq.org/

USO *** until everyone comes home at
http://www.usocares.org/home.htm