How to Get Free Supplies to Ship Care Packages

After years of deployments, military families know one thing for certain: how to make care packages. But what families might not know is that the United States Postal Service (USPS) offers free shipping supplies to send those care packages.

To help save on the cost of sending servicemembers a little touch of home, the USPS created the “Military Care Kit” or the “Mili-Kit.” This kit contains:

•Two large priority flat rate boxes (12 x 12 x 5-1/2),

•Two medium priority flat rate boxes (11 x 8-1/2 x 5-1/2)

•Two medium priority flat rate boxes (13-5/8 x 11-7/8 x 3-3/8) 

•Priority mail tape

•Priority mail address labels

•Customs forms and envelopes to attach the forms to the package. 

And it’s all free of charge!

To receive your free shipping supplies, simply call the USPS Package Supply Center at 1-800-610-8734. When prompted, say “order supplies,” and once you’re connected with a customer service representative, ask about their Military Care Kit. 

Your kit will be shipped to you and arrive at your doorstep within 7 to 10 business days. Orders are limited to 10 kits per phone call. Although these supplies are free, you still have to cover the cost of actual shipping, but when shipping to APO/FPO/DPO addresses, you pay domestic postage rates. (Click here for shipping costs, and click here for APO/FPO/DPO guidelines and restrictions.)

So the next time you’re making a care package for your favorite servicemember overseas, plan ahead and call the USPS first to stock up on shipping supplies.