Coups for Troops: Don't throw away those expired Coupons!

Many times, expired coupons are simply thrown in the trash or recycling bin. Now those expired and unwanted coupons can find new homes and meaningful purposes. Did you know that our US troops and their families stationed overseas can use expired manufacturer coupons? They can. Sending unwanted and/or expired coupons to our troops is a simple way to give back to those who sacrifice so much for this country. That's where Coups For Troops comes in. Coups For Troops is an organization that collects, sorts, and distributes donated coupons to military families. There are now two ways to donate.

Ways to Donate

Participate in the Direct Mail program OR mail all of your expired coupons to Coups For Troops. Participating in the Direct Mail program, requires that you email the volunteer with "donate" in the subject line. Send email to directmail at coupsfortroops dot com .You will then be matched with a recipient family. This will expedite the process because you will send your coupons directly to the family you have "adopted". Thus, eliminating several steps. However, if you are not able to do this, never fear! You can still mail all of your coupons to Coups for Troops, and the rest will be done for you. Visit their website for the mailing address.

FAQs and Dos and Don'ts of Donating

To read the full FAQs section, go here.

Do not send store coupons. Store specific coupons are coupons good only at a certain store, such as CVS, Walgreens, Target, Publix, Rite Aid, Kroger, Harris Teeter, Lowes Foods, etc. Guam and other countries will not have a CVS Pharmacy on every corner, like you might find in a large, US city.
Do not send restaurant, fast food, or other business specific coupons.
Do not send fraudulent coupons of any kind. (See Avoiding Coupon Fraud)
Do not staple coupons together!
Do send any manufacturer coupons that you either do not want, or are expired. This includes "Catalina's", and internet printed coupons. If it clearly states Manufacturer Coupon, then it's acceptable.
Do send coupons that have expired within the last 60 days. Although the military can use expired coupons that are up to six months old, it takes time to get these coupons to military families. The sooner they are mailed, the better.
Do not be worried about tallying up the totals of the coupons you send.
Do not be concerned with sorting the coupons into specific categories. I have recently learned (From CFT) that tallying and sorting into categories is not necessary. The troops and their families are more concerned with receiving the coupons regardless of tallying or categorization.

More Ways to Help

Postage fees quickly become expensive. Coups For Troops accepts monetary donations for postage and supplies. You can donate through Paypal here. Or click the Donate button on the website, under "Help Pay for Postage". Go here to read about other ways to help, and about the Big Talker Morning Show's Packages From Home. Volunteers are always needed to help cut, and sort coupons, and to stuff envelopes. If you live in the Wilmington area, volunteers meet every Tuesday from 2 to 4 pm at the Senior Center located at Shipyard and College Road. Soldiers stationed overseas who would like to receive coupons should fill out the form here. (And Thank YOU!) If you would like to contact Coups For Troops, visit their contact page.

Visit the Coups for Troops website here.

Coups for Troops on Facebook.

Please note: I am receiving no compensation for this post. I believe this is a wonderful organization and encourage community involvement. God bless our Troops!