AnyHero cards: Q&A

News from the homefront—even from strangers—is a treasure to those far from home. "Hero Mail is great," says one Chaplain. "I go out and pray with the soldiers before missions and I hand out Hero Mail." Letters are distributed to those who rarely get mail, or to those most in need of encouragement the day the box arrives. "It helps to know that we are remembered!"

Following are a number of the most often-asked questions about these letters.


"Why are they called AnyHero letters?"
When a letter is addressed to AnyHero, it can be given to someone from any branch of service; a note written to "Dear Soldier" is appropriate for someone serving in the Army, but since many of our contacts are with mixed units, using "Dear hero" as the salutation gives them the freedom to pass it on to whoever needs encouragement the most.

"How often do you send these?"
In every box, if we're able! That means weekly we need more cards and letters.

"How do I even know what to say in a letter?"
If you've got the gift of gab—or if all you know is how to write "thanks" and sign your name!—you can write a letter that will encourage a deployed service member! Letters can be long or short, on a card or a piece of typing paper, chatty about life at home or just a brief message of gratitude. Just keep it upbeat—even a fun weather report, a story about something your chlid said, or a clipping from the funnies brings a little piece of home to a faraway land! Check out this great collection of poems that have been written by our own OWH family by clicking here!

"Do I sign my note with my full name?"
You can do whatever you feel comfortable with; preference is at least first name and hometown/state, but you can put your contact information in a letter as well. Those who receive it may or may not write back, but it's possible you could get a message back.

"Can I write just one?"
You bet! We'd love to receive one AnyHero letter in every box of donated cards if we could! The more love from across America we can share, the better.

"How do the letters get distributed?"
Each of our boxes of blank cards goes out with a package of Hero Mail; the contacts who receive them then share the mail with those who get the least mail from home, or to someone struggling and in need of extra encouragement. Some post all the mail, as seen in the photo above; others tuck a note into their pocket to carry with them on missions.

"Can my kids draw pictures to send?"
Absolutely! We hear from so many heroes who love to hang up kids' art on the walls around them. Please refer to our school and scouts post for guidance for your children, whether your own, your school, or a scout troop.



***Edited to add: More tips on what to write in your cards, learn from how kids do it!***