Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is actually sent to the troops?
We send a homemade fabric stocking with the recipient’s name on the cuff written with glitter and glue.  We fill the stocking with all the items on our Shopping List and top it off with a pair of socks and place the filled stocking inside a 2 gallon zip lock plastic bag, which is part of the gift.  Inside the bag, next to the stocking, we add a paperback book, Ramen soup, a can of tuna, a greeting card and our Stockings For Soldiers project information with a small poem. We send about 10,000 of these filled stockings to our troops each year.  They are shipped in 1,300 large boxes that weigh 40,000 lbs.  We do all this in only 8 weeks, with many THANKS to all our volunteers.

2. What size should the stockings be?
Stockings should be 15” high x 9” wide. Both sides of the stockings should be the same fabric. Please do NOT send felt stockings. We only use home sewn stockings, with felt used as the cuff.

3. Why only felt for the cuff?
Because we write the actual names of the troops on each of their stockings and can only use plain colored felt with our glue and glitter.

4. Should we fill the stockings?
NO, thank you. Please do not fill them because we will have to empty them, check the Goodies, sort the Goodies and then get them ready for our volunteers to stuff them all at the same time. Thanks so much, anyway.

5. What size should the donated items be?
We request small sizes so that the items will fit into the stockings or inside the 2 gallon ziplock bags that are holding the stockings. Large items are gratefully accepted, but they will be mailed outside the stockings to be shared by the groups. Please see our new Shopping List as well as our Amazon.com Wish List for the items we are requesting. Please note that we cannot put these items inside the stockings: bars of soap and Cup of Noodles.

6. What kind of books should be donated?
We only send paperback books due to weight and space restrictions. We ask for historical fiction, thrillers, mysteries, sci-fi, best sellers, non-fiction books and the like. We can’t send hardback books, outsized paperback books, or "trade" size books. We generally get plenty of books for both sexes, so the preferred donation would be “gently used” standard paperbacks in good condition in the genres that would be appreciated by young troops needing to kick back and enjoy a little time off. Please, no romance novels.

7. What type of socks should be donated?
Please note that we are now requesting both WHITE and/or BLACK CREW socks. Our troops appreciate a clean pair of socks so we will accept and send any color we receive. No ankle socks please.

8. What do you need the most of?
We are so lucky to have so many kind and thoughtful volunteers who ask what we need. We always need more “real food” like small cans of tuna, Chef Boyardee little meals or small cans of fruit. We also always need more CREW socks, Slim Jims, Beef Jerky and letters from school children with positive uplifting messages. Please go to our Amazon.com Wish List to shop for what we need.

9. What items are needed for the K9 Units?
We are unable to send K9 Goodies this year. Thanks for your understanding.

10. How should we prepare the Greeting Cards?
Please include any positive message inside the greeting cards, but do not seal them within their respective envelopes or write anything on the envelopes. Send us both the signed greeting cards and any accompanying blank unsealed envelopes. This way, the troops can re-use the envelopes to send mail to others. If you have some old greetings cards lying around that you've received in the past, consider recycling them for the troops by turning them into "Greetings Postcards". To do this, open each card and cut it in half along the vertical spine. Send us the beautiful LEFT side of the card making sure there is no old writing on it. Please add your positive message on the back of the "postcard".

11. How should we mail our donations to SFS?
You can use UPS, FedEx or the Post Office to mail your donations to our mailing address: Stockings For Soldiers, 1911 Foulk Road, Wilmington, DE 19810. It is NOT at all necessary to use the small Post Office Flat Rate boxes.

12. When should we mail our donations?
We work together for only two months.  Each year, we start at the beginning of October and finish the project the first week of December.  PLEASE see our Project Deadlines page for the exact dates that we will be working together.  Please bring us your donations in advance of our End Date so your items can be included in the Stuffing process.  Any donations received after our boxes have been mailed will be donated to local food banks.

13. Why do we have TWO addresses?
Address #1: 1911 Foulk Road Wilmington DE 19810 is a home/office location where we can receive the mail, donations and financial contributions.
Address #2: Our Stocking Store Working Location is a borrowed store front that can hold all our many volunteers and our great Team Leaders who do the work necessary to create and complete our great community project.  Please refer to our Location page for all of the details.

14. Why do you only work at night, Mondays through Thursdays?
Our wonderful Team Leaders have jobs and daytime obligations and they prefer to work with us in the evenings between 6:30 PM and 8:30 PM. But, see our calendar for NEW limited DAYTIME drop off hours.

15. Why do you need to schedule large groups of 7 or more to work at the store?
Each year we try to improve our great system of working together for our troops. We want to make sure that your volunteer experience is enjoyable, so you are not waiting in line so much. Please be sure to schedule your large group so we do not overbook the evening. Please be sure to hold a collection drive prior to coming over to stuff the stockings. Since we need 10,000 of everything on our shopping list, that is the BEST way to work with us. Please click the following link to sign up a large group to volunteer: Volunteering at the Store

16. Why are there age limits for volunteers that work at the store?
Because our volunteers are carrying very heavy boxes full of goodies, we must ask parents not to bring small children at all. We ask that students in 2nd through 8th grades join us only with parental supervision. Students in high school or older can join us without supervision. Unfortunately, no adorable babies or toddlers can work with us, please. It is for their safety. Thank you for your understanding.

We suggest that families with small children make some Snowman Soup for our troops. The "recipe" is on our website and it is a fun project for all to do. It also helps to make the children feel like they have contributed something special to support the troops.

17. What is the BEST way to help?
Please have a collection drive for the items that we need. We can’t send our stockings without having the Goodies to go inside. Donating lots and lots of Goodies is THE best way to help us.

For questions -  please email us at
judy@StockingsForSoldiers.org

.. Thank You ..

STOCKINGS FOR SOLDIERS - DELAWARE, Inc.