The Texas Gulf Coast Region of the American Red Cross hosts its Operation Holiday Cheer initiative to care for and honor our military heroes. This year, we invite you to partner with the Texas Gulf Coast Red Cross to donate items for holiday care packages distributed to active-duty military members deployed around the world and local veterans in hospitals or nursing homes.

Purchase items and ship directly to the Red Cross office by shopping our Amazon List.

You can participate by donating some of the following items:

  • Cookie mixes – Chocolate Chip, Sugar Cookie, Peanut Butter, Oatmeal 
  • Bulk popcorn kernels 
  • Ramen noodles & Cup Noodles 
  • Individually packaged snacks (e.g., chips, cookies, chocolates, candy/holiday candy, microwave popcorn, crackers, nuts, trail mix, beef jerky, & sunflower/pumpkin seeds) 
  • Electrolyte drink mix 
  • Mac & cheese cups 
  • Gingerbread houses 
  • Wooden ornaments (to paint/decorate) 
  • Stockings 
  • Stocking stuffers 
  • Items for S’mores (big marshmallows, graham crackers & Hershey bars) 
  • Hot cider packets
  • Tea 
  • Flavored creamer 
  • Coffee 
  • Tampons 
  • Hair ties (brown & black) 
  • Birthday/holiday/special days celebration supplies 
  • Board games (e.g., Ticket to Ride Europe, Catan: Seafarers) 
  • Gluten-free snacks
  • Pimple patches
  • Puzzles with glue and tape
  • Crochet kits 
  • Coloring books 
  • Colored pencils/markers 

To drop off donations, please see below: (Please call office first) 

  • Houston (Office open 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays) 2700 Southwest Freeway, Houston, TX 77098 
  • Coastal Bend Chapter, (361-300-1706)- 4639 Corona Drive, Suite 101 Corpus Christi, TX 78411
  • Coastal Plains Chapter, (281-476-4171)- 2610 B F Terry Blvd. Rosenberg, TX 77471
  • Southeast and Deep East, (409-313-3704)- 3901 IH-10 East Orange, TX 77630
  • South Texas, (956-564-9437)- 6914 W. Expressway 83 Harlingen, TX 78552

Deadline to drop off at a local office is November 7, 2025.