New Haven prepares for holidays by helping others

NEW HAVEN -- The neighborhood group SoHu is again organizing a stuffed stockings holiday drive for wounded American troops.

This year the supplies will be sent to the Brooke Army MedicalCenter at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, Texas.

According to SoHu organizer Lisa Siedlarz, her group has partnered with the Wounded Warriors Family Center, which will take the stockings and distribute them. Donations will be accepted until Dec. 9.

Money donations can be made or people can create stuffed stockings. The donations can be brought to Siedlarz’ apartment on the second floor of 53 Pearl St., New Haven (call ahead to announce this), or she will pick them up. Her cell phone number is 203-623-0857 and her email address is lisa@sohunewhaven.org.

For more information and to make a money donation, go to www.SoHuNewHaven.org.

Appropriate items for donation are: DVDs, CDs, Walmart and Target gift certificates, body lotion, microwavable popcorn, soap/body wash, puzzle books, toothpaste, disposable cameras, toothbrushes, decks of cards, mouthwash, individually-wrapped snacks, paperback books, deodorant, pencils, pens, stationary, magazines about sports, cars and motorcycles, Reader’s Digest, Time, People, Vogue, Women’s Health, etc., hair brushes and combs, lip balm, tweezers, shampoo, conditioners, shaving cream, razor blades with at least three blades, hand-made cards or letters (unsealed), board games such as Yatzee, Jenga or others, nail polish, boxed tea, wool hats and baked goods.

Those who are donating stockings for female soldiers are asked to indicate that on the label.

In 2010, SoHu and greater New Haven sent 125 stuffed stockings to Afghanistan for the Stockings for Soldiers Drive. In 2011, the group sent 100 stockings to the Brooke center.

Editor's note: All information in this post was contributed.