What to Bring to Packing Events

Suggested Items for Tampa Bay Troop Support Packing Events

Remember — travel-size and single-serving sizes work best. *** NO GLASS OR AEROSOLS!! ***

TOP REQUESTED ITEMS:

  • FOOD: Beef Jerky, Protein Bars, Trail Mix (nuts, dried fruit, etc), Coffee & Drink mixes, Cracker & Cookie Packs, Hard Candies, Tootsie Rolls & Chocolates (seasonal temperatures aware)
  • Non-FOOD: Baby Wipes, Hand Sanitizer, Lip Balm/Lotions, Pain/Allergy Relief, Sun Block, Foot Powder

CLOTHING & ACCESSORIES

  • Long underwear during winter months
  • Fingerless gloves
  • 72″ Bootlaces (brown or tan preferred)
  • Stocking caps (plain, gray, black or dark green)
  • Black or white cotton boot socks
  • T-shirts (olive green or white)
  • Note: the color of underclothing and socks is not as important as 100% cotton.

TOILETRIES & MEDICAL

  • Baby wipes for personal hygiene (alcohol-free)
  • Women’s feminine wipes
  • Small boxes of tampons and pads for women
  • Disposable hand sanitizing wipes
  • Disposable, instant hand warmers
  • Toothpaste (in hard-side tubes rather than traditional tubes)
  • Toothbrushes
  • Nail clippers
  • Shampoo
  • Men’s and Women’s Deodorant
  • Liquid body wash soap, liquid anti-bacterial soap
  • Lotion, unscented, for dry skin (no pump-style dispensers)
  • Disposable multi-blade razors (no single blade razors please)
  • Razors and replacement blades
  • Kleenex (travel-size packets)
  • Oral B Brush Ups™
  • Tylenol tablets or caplets
  • Advil tablets or caplets
  • Pepcid 30 tablets
  • Claritin 10 tablets box
  • Antibacterial ointment
  • Anti-bacterial soap
  • Cough drops
  • Eye drops (for DRY eyes, not red eyes)
  • Deodorant
  • Band-aids
  • Travel size packages of Q-tips
  • Throat Lozenges
  • Anti-fungal treatments
  • Boot liners/insoles
  • Odor eaters for boots
  • Lotrimin AF or Tinactin for athlete’s foot
  • Medicated Foot Powder, Medicated Foot Swabs
  • Moleskin (for pads on sore feet)
  • Band-Aids (sweat/water resistant)
  • Sunblock (travel size or stick preferable, SPF 30+)
  • Blistex, Chapstick (in stick-tubes rather than tubs, not tinted)
  • Saline spray/drops for sensitive nasal passages
  • Eyeglass wipes

FOOD & DRINK

  • Ground coffee
  • Instant coffee
  • Hot cocoa mix
  • Gatorade mix (powdered only)
  • Crystal Light (or other brand) “On The Go” flavor packets
  • Sugar and creamer packets for coffee
  • Slim Jims individual sticks
  • Cookies & Crackers individual serving packages
  • Ramen chicken noodle
  • Gum, Lifesavers, Mints (blister pack gum is most requested)
  • Hard Candy (single wrapped)
  • Chocolate candies
  • Cookies
  • Pudding cups
  • Fruit: single serving size cans with pop-top
  • Nuts, sunflower seeds, peanuts, trail mix, dried fruit
  • Power bars, protein bars, nutritional bars
  • Beef jerky, beef summer sausage (non-perishable; labeled USDA Beef)
  • Single-serving bags of snacks, crackers
  • Pop Tarts, cereal bars, granola bars
  • Ramen Noodles, Cup-O-Noodles serving cups, Easy Mac®
  • Ravioli and other canned ready-to-eat meals with pop-top
  • Chicken or Tuna lunch kits (includes tuna, crackers, condiments in each single-serving kit)
  • Canned sardines, smoked oysters
  • Jalapeño Velveeta® and crackers
  • Taco Bell® Sauce Packets
  • Seasoning salts, flavoring salts
  • Popcorn
  • Canned cheese dips (NO glass please)

HOLIDAY ITEMS

Spring packing

  • St. Pattie’s Day decorations
  • Easter decorations
  • Spring stationery
  • Memorial Day items

Summer packing

  • Independence Day decorations
  • Beach decorations
  • Summer stationery

Fall packing

  • Halloween decorations, candy, etc
  • Fall stationery

Winter Packing

  • Christmas Ornaments small ornaments – non-breakable
  • Christmas cards For OUR Troops & signed with your name
  • Blank Holiday cards for the Troops to have for sending home.

FUN & NECESSITIES

  • Duct Tape large rolls
  • DVD’s & CD’s new releases, old classic movies, TV shows, etc.
  • NEW Magazines (auto, motorcycle, hunting, sports, etc.)
  • Video games & small game players
  • Nerf footballs & pro/college team logo items
  • Travel size board games & dominoes
  • Card games (Uno, etc.)
  • Hacky sacks, Tennis balls
  • Small hand-held games
  • Portable DVD Players
  • Portable CD Players
  • Envelopes
  • Small pads of paper
  • Pens and unsharpened pencils
  • Small, blank journals
  • Small pocket notebooks (no large spiral notebooks)
  • Tactical Duct tape: military green, tan or black
  • Electrical tape
  • Super Glue
  • Leatherman All-in-One Tool
  • Snack, Sandwich, Quart-size Ziploc plastic bags