American Red Cross and Pitney Bowes Remind Public to Send Holiday Mail for Heroes Greetings by December 9

WASHINGTON, Nov. 29, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The December 9 deadline is fast approaching to send holiday greetings filled with messages of thanks to our men and women in uniform through the Holiday Mail for Heroes program. 

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"It's simple to give the gift of thanks this holiday season, and all you need is a pen and piece of paper," said Sherri Brown, senior vice president of Service to the Armed Forces at the American Red Cross.  "So many people have supported this program over the years, and we hope people continue to share their greetings and gratitude with our service men and women this holiday season."

The Red Cross sorts the cards and delivers them to military bases and hospitals, veteran's hospitals and other locations in the U.S. and abroad during the holidays. Pitney Bowes donates all screening, packaging and shipping.

All holiday greetings should be addressed and sent to:

Holiday Mail for Heroes
P.O. Box 5456
Capitol Heights, MD 20791-5456

Cards postmarked after December 9, 2011 will be returned to senders. Visit redcross.org/holidaymail for a full list of recommended guidelines.

Pitney Bowes has also created an online card making feature that allows Americans to send a card with a personal message of thanks and holiday cheer to a service member for $1. The new website, www.mailforheroes.com, offers four holiday card designs that will remain accessible until December 9 and will be sent to the PO Box for distribution to service members and their families.

Simon Property Group is offering additional collection sites free-of-cost at its malls throughout the country throughout the program. Many of the shopping centers are hosting card signing events at their Kidgits clubs.

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 or join our blog at http://blog.redcross.org.

About Pitney Bowes:
Delivering more than 90 years 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 through advanced customer communications management. Pitney Bowes is a $5.4 billion company and employs 30,000 worldwide. Pitney Bowes: Every connection is a new opportunity™.  www.pb.com

SOURCE American Red Cross