Nonprofit says USPS mishandled 800 care packages meant for troops overseas
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A nonprofit organization claims the U.S. Postal Service mishandled hundreds of shipments of care packages intended for American service members and is now calling on President Donald Trump to step in.
“I’m really hoping that President Trump will do a Christmas miracle for us and get these boxes to our troops for Christmas because if we send them U.S. mail, they’ll never get there,” Kristen Gauvin, president of Boxes to Boots, said Wednesday on “Fox & Friends First.”
The organization sends necessary packages to deployed troops who cannot be home due to holidays. They include essential toiletries, snacks, and other small comforts to lift their spirits.
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Nonprofit Boxes to Boots asked President Donald Trump for help after the USPS returned more than 800 Christmas packages intended for deployed troops. (Tashi-Delek/iStock)
But this year, Gauvin says the group faced a major transportation problem.
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Boxes to Boots mailed its packages in mid-November, but more than 800 of its 1,100 boxes were unexpectedly returned and more than 100 were completely missing. USPS flagged packages due to inadequate customs clearance.
“We are currently investigating why these packages were returned. Packages may be returned when customs forms are missing or do not have the necessary details to meet export compliance requirements,” USPS said in a statement to “Fox & Friends First.” he said.
President Donald Trump takes the stage during a rally with U.S. Army troops at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, on June 10. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
Gauvin said the organization has never experienced anything like this before and has heard similar problems reported from other groups. He also stated that approximately 300 identical packages went through without any problems.
“The return information for each of these boxes had my name and phone number on them… Someone may have done this.” [taken] An extra minute to call me and say, ‘Hey, we have a huge problem here.’ “Let me tell you what happened,” he said.
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Gauvin, who has led Boxes to Boots for several years, said if that were the problem he or volunteers would go wherever necessary to fix the labeling.
First Lady Melania Trump speaks with military members after helping prepare care packages for deployed soldiers during an American Red Cross holiday event with military families at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, on Dec. 1. (Aul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images)
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“Obviously these boxes are all marked with military addresses. So I think people are going to push back for our soldiers. It’s really disgusting,” Gauvin said.
Boxes to Boots is calling on federal officials to step in to ensure packages reach troops before the holidays, and is specifically calling on President Trump and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth to help. The group warned that if the issue isn’t fixed soon, the boxes could miss the holiday season and arrive in mid-January.
