Montgomery, AL 2009—The American Red Cross and Pitney Bowes are teaming up to deliver holiday cards to service members, their families and veterans, many of whom will be far from home this holiday season.

Between November 2 and December 7, the public is invited to send a "touch of home" through holiday cards that contain messages of cheer and appreciation. Cards will then be screened, sorted and boxed for delivery by hundreds of Red Cross volunteers.

"One holiday card is all it takes to make a difference in the life of the millions of active duty military men and women, veterans and family members, said Jackie Buck, CEO. "The American Red Cross of Central Alabama serves and supports members of the military, veterans, and their families by providing emergency communications, comfort and assistance each day; over 800 emergency messages were sent this past year. The Holiday Mail for Heroes program continues the Red Cross tradition of service to the armed forces."

Last year, with the help of Pitney Bowes, hundreds of volunteers screened, sorted and packaged cards that were delivered to military bases, veteran and military hospitals across the U.S. and around the world.

In 2007, Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, DC approached the Red Cross to help distribute thousands of cards that came into the facility for wounded soldiers. The Red Cross in turn reached out to Pitney Bowes to help initiate the Holiday for Mail for Heroes program.

"Pitney Bowes is proud to be working with the American Red Cross on an initiative that enables Americans to send their appreciation and support to the brave individuals currently serving our country, veterans, and their families," said a Pitney Bowes spokesperson. "During this holiday season, we encourage people to mail their heartfelt holiday messages to the brave individuals and their loved ones through the Holiday for Heroes program."

Holiday cards should be addressed and sent to:

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

Visit Redcross.org/holidaymail for a full list of recommended guidelines and best practices on the Holiday Mail for Heroes program.

Visit www.montgomeryarc.org to learn more about ARC of Central Alabama’s Service to the Armed Forces.

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

Pitney Bowes is a mailstream technology company that helps organizations manage the flow of information, mail, documents and packages. Our 36,000 employees deliver technology, service and innovation to more than two million customers worldwide. The company was founded in 1920 and annual revenues now total $6.4 billion. More information is available at www.pb.com.