Military Families Ministry has launched their 2018 “Stockings for the Troops” project.

Each year the organization collects donations to make Christmas stockings for service members who will not be able to spend the holidays at home with their families.

This year there are four drop of locations including; The Bellwood-Antis Public Library, The DeGol Organization in Altoona, Mac’s Meat Market in Tyrone and the Northern Blair Recreation Center in Tipton.

All donations should be made by November 26.

Here is a list of items being accepted:

Individually wrapped Twizzlers

Hard candy – NO chocolate please hand & foot warmers (small packets)

Chap stick and dental floss

tooth brushes and small tooth paste

Hot chocolate and oatmeal packets

Snack and food bars (granola, protein, cereal, nut, crackers)

Individually wrapped cookies (no homemade cookies)

Ramen soup packets & Small Slim Jims Individual drink mixes for water bottles

Small packets of trail mix, nuts, pretzels, fruit or other snacks

Decks of cards or small card game

Christmas card (home-made or bought ) with a personal message from you

The project began in 2011 with just 800 stockings and since then, MFM has shipped over 20,000 Christmas stockings to deployed units.