25.07.2025
Lynelle Zelnar
At Forgotten Soldiers Outreach, every month we carefully pack and ship care packages filled with love, comfort, and reminders from home to our deployed service members. It’s more than just snacks and toiletries, it’s about lifting spirits, honoring sacrifice, and showing that no one serving our country is forgotten.
But as of July 13, 2025, postage rates are increasing once again and it’s hitting home for organizations like ours in a big way.
Shipping is our biggest ongoing expense. In 2024 alone, we spent $46,820 on postage to get our care packages into the hands of those who need them most. We do everything we can to stretch every donated dollar, using partners like Pitney Bowes and Stamps.com for modest discounts. But the steady rise in USPS rates continues to challenge our budget.
There was a time when a $20 donation could sponsor a care package. Then it became $25. Now it’s $30 per box, and sadly, that barely covers the cost especially when shipping to remote or high-risk areas.
To manage costs, we’ve had to adapt. We once relied almost exclusively on Large Flat Rate APO boxes, but their rising cost forced us to rethink. Today, we primarily use Medium Flat Rate boxes, reserving the large boxes only for special occasions like our Christmas in July and Holiday Packing Events. For squad-size shipments, we use Home Depot moving boxes which are not flat rate, making them significantly more expensive to ship.
These rate increases are more than just numbers, they impact how many troops we can reach each month. As we face higher shipping costs, we’re calling on our supporters to help bridge the gap. Every donation makes a difference:
We know times are tight for many, but our troops are counting on us and especially on you. They may be thousands of miles away, but with your help, they’ll never feel forgotten.
