Morale Mail is back for 2019 Holiday Season

Canada Post is once again offering free shipping for family and friends of deployed men and women this holiday season. 

Known as care packages, these parcels are a great way to send someone you love a special gift from home. This year marks the fourteenth consecutive year that Canada Post will be offering this service.

 From October 16, 2019, through January 10, 2020, parcel shipping free of charge will be available, and regular letter mail up to 500 grams will also be free of charge from October 16, 2019, through December 31.

 Due to capacity limitations on military aircraft carrying supplies to deployed forces, this offer is restricted to family and friends of the men and women serving overseas.

Packages must include the soldier’s name, rank, and mission information to ensure it reaches loved ones directly, and don’t forget to include a Canada Customs declaration form. Please check out the link at the end of the article for a complete list of mission addresses. 

 Another option family members can use to send their holiday packages is through their local Military Family Resource Centre. This service is not offered at every MFRC, be sure to connect with your local centre to find out about their mailing procedures.

Several MFRC’s offer a once a week, cost-free mail service that is sent through MFRC’s across the country. 

However, it does take up to 28 days for mail to be sent to its destination. Plan accordingly if it is a time-sensitive package. 

 First-time senders may not know what to send to their loved ones and may not know the restrictions associated with sending packages overseas. 

Necessities like baby wipes, chapstick, deodorant, and baby powder are staples in a care package. They can be individualized with chocolate, card games, photos, and much more.

 Mail must include the name of the soldier, rank, and mission information. It must be deposited at a retail location.

The Belleville shipping address for Canada Post is: 

RANK/INITIAL/NAME

OPERATION INFORMATION

PO Box Stn Forces

Belleville, Ontario, K8N 5W6

If you are reaching a loved one aboard one of Her Majesty’s Canadian Ships, the address is:

RANK/INITIALS/NAME 

MESS #/SECTION 

NAME OF THE SHIP 

PO BOX 17000 STN FORCES 

VICTORIA BC  V9A 7N2

For more information on size restrictions, mailing guidelines, and prohibited items, visit the Canadian Armed Forces website. 

For a list of all the current deployments visit the CAFconnect website.