Welcome to mcfsc

---

Welcome to MCFSC. Serving families of all military branches, veterans and others, you will find plenty of activities to become involved in. From participating in monthly chat nights, to packing monthly care packages, to becoming involved with our quilting group, you will find others who understand the unique emotions and lifestyle that comes with being part of a military family.

In this age of on-line connections, our group is unique in that we meet monthly at our headquarters for our monthly information meetings, take time to talk one on one with each other, then pack care packages for those deployed. There is nothing more gratifying than making real-life connections with others who are or have gone through the same experiences as you are while taking the journey of having a loved-one serving our great nation.

Join us. Whatever branch your loved one is serving in, you are always welcome.

The main mission of The Marine Corps Family Support Community is to provide care packages to those deployed in our nation's service. Since 2007 MCFSC has sent over 8,000 care packages.

OUR PROCESS...

MCFSC believes that our deployed should be remembered from the day they leave for deployment until they return to U.S. soil. When we receive a deployed individual's name/address, our support starts at that point. Once a month we gather and pack 2 care packages per person. The day after the meeting, 1 box is shipped to each individual. Then 2 weeks later, we ship the second package. We continue this so that each deployed person receives a care package from us every 2 weeks throughout their entire deployment.

WHAT ITEMS DO WE NEED?

Mostly non perishable food items and some types of hygiene products. We cannot send aerosol cans, so items such as sunscreen and shave cream cannot be sent unless they are non-aerosol. Below is a list of items we accept. To download a pdf version of this list, see below.

• Beef Jerky
• Lip Balm
• Oatmeal Packets
• Hard Candies (no chocolate)
• Gum
• Tuna or chicken packets
• Sun Screen (small containers only- no aerosol)
• Insect Repellent (wipes only)
• Wet Wipes (travel size)
• Socks (white or Thorlo)
• Flip Flops (shower shoes)
• Hot Cocoa Packets
• Tea Bags
• Ramen Noodles
• Microwave popcorn packets
• Dental Floss
• Instant drink packets (Emergenc-C, Crystal Light, etc.)
• Pringles Chips in single-serve packs
• Neosporin (small tubes)
• Deodorant
• Razors (disposable)
• Shaving Cream (no aerosol)
• Cotton Swabs
• Cereal in single serve boxes
• Nutrition bars/granola bars/breakfast bars
• Cough Drops
• Starbucks Via or other Instant Coffee packets-single serve
• Tissues (travel size)
• Shampoo (travel size only)
• Tylenol/Advil in single dose packaging
• Band Aids

It was 2014--we were at the height of the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. Hospitals such as Balboa Naval Hospital and Walter Reed Hospital were inundated with our military in need of medical care. The thought was, "wouldn't it be great if we could send a quilt or two to someone at Balboa for Christmas." 

That was the start of our commitment to provide comfort to those who have been wounded while serving our nation. Since then the number of quilts we are able to provide increases. These quilts are made by our members, who meet on the first Saturday of every month. They work on them throughout the month. For 2019 we will provide 69 quilts for Balboa Naval Hospital to distribute to those who are currently in the medical hold unit, as they recover from injuries sustained while in service to our country. 

The group also makes lap quilts for the VA Hospital in Chillicothe, Ohio, as well as children's quilts which are distributed with the quilts we send to Balboa. 

Interested?

Our group is always looking for good quilters. If you can sew and have a sewing machine, this might be a good opportunity for you to help! Simply go to our "Contact Us" page and complete the form. Let us know you can sew and we will be in touch. 

 Want to do more to help? Your school, church or other civic organization can do donation drives to gather items we can use in our care packages. Using the list above, distribute it to those who might donate to provide them ideas on what to purchase. Choose a date for the items to be brought to a central location. Then contact us and we will gratefully pick them up!