The American Red Cross and Pitney Bowes Inc. are teaming up to deliver holiday cards to servicemembers, their families and veterans, many of whom will be far from home this holiday season. Now in its third year, the Holiday Mail for Heroes program provides Americans with the opportunity to extend holiday greetings and thanks to servicemembers and veterans.

Through Dec. 7, the public is invited to send a “touch of home” through holiday cards that contain messages of cheer and appreciation.

“It’s an honor for our community to help make the holidays special for American heroes,” said Terri Whitlock, executive director of the Valdosta Chapter of the American Red Cross. Last year, with the help of Pitney Bowes, hundreds of volunteers screened, sorted and packaged cards that were delivered to military bases and veteran and military hospitals across the U.S. and around the world.

For the program this year, the Valdosta Chapter will be collecting cards on Dec. 1.

Holiday cards should be addressed and sent to Holiday Mail for Heroes, P.O. Box 5456, Capitol Heights, Md. 20791-5456. Please be sure to affix adequate postage. Cards must be received no later than Dec. 7. Cards received after this date will be returned to senders. For reasons of processing and safety, participants are asked to refrain from sending “care packages,” monetary gifts, using glitter or including any inserts with the cards.

Visit Redcross.org/holidaymail for a full list of recommended guidelines and best practices on the Holiday Mail for Heroes program.

Additional ways to become involved with the campaign include connecting with fellow card senders through Facebook at www.facebook.com/redcross and Twitter at www.twitter.com/redcross and #HMFH.

Visit www.valdostaredcross.org to learn more about the Valdosta’s Chapter Service to the Armed Forces program.