More than 10 boxes, weighing over 100 pounds and carrying everything from breakfast bars, coffee, air fresheners, hand sanitizers, Chapstick, trail mix, Slim Jims and home-baked goods, are on their way to U.S. troops in Afghanistan, thanks to the Olin Cares MBA club and Washington University Military Care Package group.

The November care package set a record!

Since 2004, Washington University staff, students, faculty and administrators have donated, packaged and shipped at a cost of some $17,000 more than eight tons of supplies to troops serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Spearheaded by Jill Edwards, project manager of university accreditation programs, this grassroots effort started with Edwards helping her sister prepare home-baked goods to send to troops in Iraq. Claire Patterson in the MBA office helps to organize donations, packing and shipping chores at Olin.

Members of Olin Cares helped prepare packages of donated items from the University community. The MBA club partnered with the Washington University Military Care Package group to separate, pack and ship boxes of essential items and treats to troops in Afganistan. The group hit their goal of sending 8 tons of supplies to the troops!

Read more about the Military Care Package program and thank you notes from the troops in the WUSTL Record.

Thanks to Sue McGinn Killenberg’s reporting that contributed to this blog post.