10-30-2023 12:25pm

Clifton Cares About Our Deployed Troops - Donations Needed

Clifton Cares will again be packing for our deployed military in November so we are reaching out to our supportive Cliftonites for your generous donations. Partnering with us are the Disabled American Veterans in Clifton, Visions Federal Credit Union, and United Way of Passaic County. All agencies will be collecting supplies before the packing night and will be volunteering that night as well. Because the number of occupants is restricted at the Senior Center, we cannot open the packing to other volunteers at this time.

We need and count on your help to fill the many care packages we send out each year: small bottles of toiletries, sanitizers, shampoo, as well as food and snacks. Our troops like ramen noodles, beef jerky, microwaveable canned pasta and mac and cheese, protein and granola bars, and crackers. Packets of flavored powders that get added to water bottles are popular and easy to pack. Chewing gum and hard candies are always welcome additions.

Personal hygiene items are necessities and most appreciated. These include full-sized toothpaste tubes, toothbrushes, and dental floss and picks. Small bottles, including travel size, of shampoo and conditioner, body lotion, body and facial wipes, sunblock, and lip balm are always in demand. If you need more inspiration, see this Amazon list for some ideas.

If you end up with leftover Halloween candy, do yourself – and our military – a favor and donate it! Magazines, paperbacks, puzzle books like Sudoku, word searches, and mazes are also appreciated to keep them busy during quiet times. Don’t forget to pack pens and pencils! If you have the time, homemade cards from your children (or you!) make for a nice family project and a thoughtful gift for the young men and women who are so far from home.

Ideally, packages will be received during the winter holidays, in case you'd like to send cards, holiday goodies, and treats.

Monetary donations are always appreciated to help with shipping; packages now cost $21.40 each to mail. Clifton Cares is a 501c3 non-profit so your donation, payable to Clifton Cares Inc. is tax deductible. Checks should be sent to Clifton Cares Inc., Clifton City Hall, 900 Clifton Ave., Clifton, NJ 07013.

All other donations can be brought to the Clifton Cares bin at City Hall any time, or to the DAV Chapter 2 at 315 Hazel Street daily from 5:00 to 9:00 PM. Please bring your donations before November 13th to allow time for packing and shipping.

If you know of a military person deployed overseas, we would like to add them to our list. Please contact Chris Liszner at 973 650-2719 with the information. Thank you for your continued support and for bringing a little bit of home to our troops.