Connecticut Nonprofit Reclaims 900 Christmas Care Packages for Troops

A Berlin-based nonprofit that supports deployed service members hit a surprising roadblock when the U.S. Postal Service returned hundreds of their holiday care packages. This article digs into what happened with Boxes to Boots’ shipments, how federal lawmakers and USPS are reacting, and what this could mean for military families and volunteers in Connecticut and beyond.

Berlin nonprofit sees 900 military care packages returned

For almost ten years, Boxes to Boots in Berlin has been quietly packing and mailing care packages to troops overseas. These boxes—filled with snacks, socks, and handwritten notes—often bring a bit of comfort during long, lonely deployments.

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Last week, founder Kristen Gauvin walked into her nonprofit’s mailroom and found nearly 900 of the 1,139 care packages they’d just sent out had come right back.

USPS cites new customs rules and vague descriptions

The returned boxes all carried a blunt message from the U.S. Postal Service: rejected because the customs forms described the contents too vaguely. USPS said the problem was the use of the word “toiletries” to describe personal care items inside.

Back in September, new customs regulations started requiring much more specific item descriptions for overseas shipments. What worked for years—writing a general category—suddenly wasn’t enough. For Boxes to Boots, which had never faced a rejected shipment in a decade, the change felt more than just bureaucratic—it threatened to upend a whole season of support for deployed troops.

Sen. Blumenthal introduces plan to protect care-package shipments

The situation quickly caught the attention of federal lawmakers, including U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal. He visited the nonprofit’s Berlin office to see the mountains of returned boxes himself.

With volunteers and organizers gathered around, he called the disruption “unimaginably cruel and thoughtless”—especially with the holidays approaching and service members waiting for these packages.

“Support Our Troops Shipping Relief Act of 2025” proposed

Blumenthal promised to introduce the Support Our Troops Shipping Relief Act of 2025 in Congress. The bill would:

Make USPS treat care packages sent to overseas U.S. military bases as domestic mail, even if they cross borders.

Simplify customs description requirements for nonprofit and family shipments to deployed troops.

Cut down the risk that packages get returned or delayed just because of technical wording.

For groups like Boxes to Boots in New Haven, Stamford, and Bridgeport, this could mean fewer headaches and more reliable delivery when sending comfort items abroad.

USPS response and resolution efforts

After the story drew attention, the U.S. Postal Service confirmed they’d returned the shipments for not meeting current export rules. Postal officials said the forms needed more detailed customs descriptions—listing out specific items instead of broad categories.

Coordination restores shipments—but questions remain

USPS worked with Gauvin’s team at Boxes to Boots to fix the customs forms and get the packages moving again. The nonprofit is back to shipping, with volunteers now carefully listing every item to stay in compliance.

The incident has sparked a lot of talk in Hartford, New London, and other communities about how easily good intentions can get tripped up by confusing or suddenly changing rules. Gauvin pointed out that her group isn’t alone—many military families and nonprofits nationwide have run into similar trouble under the new regulations.

Impact across Connecticut communities

From Norwich to Waterbury, Connecticut residents take real pride in supporting local service members stationed overseas. Church groups, school clubs, veterans’ groups, and small nonprofits all count on USPS to carry donated goods across oceans and into base mailrooms.

The Boxes to Boots story is now a cautionary tale about how even small changes to federal policy can ripple through local communities. Volunteers in places like Danbury and Fairfield are already double-checking their own shipping practices, making sure their customs forms are detailed enough to pass muster.

Call for clearer shipping protocols nationwide

Advocates say the solution isn’t just about passing new laws. They want real, practical changes.

Plain-language guidance from USPS on how to label care-package contents.

Outreach to nonprofits and military support groups so they aren’t blindsided by regulatory changes.

Consistent enforcement that prioritizes timely delivery to service members over technical paperwork errors.

Boxes to Boots finally got its packages moving again. Still, the bigger question hangs in the air—how do we balance security and customs with the basic urge to send a piece of home to someone serving far away?

For Connecticut families and volunteers, getting those boxes delivered feels like more than just logistics. It’s about honoring the folks in uniform, plain and simple.

Here is the source article for this story: 900 Christmas packages for troops were returned. A CT nonprofit fought back

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