Troopathon

What's in the box: Hand-packed, personally addressed bundles of comfort items and treats from home, often with a handwritten card, though the site does not publish a fixed contents list.

Troopathon is not a subscription box in the usual sense. It is a nonprofit military charity based in Sacramento, California, registered as a 501(c)(3), that sends hand-packed, personalized care packages to active duty troops deployed to combat areas. You do not pay for a recurring box for yourself. Instead, you donate money that funds packages for service members on the charity's request list. The site says donations are tax deductible. It also says volunteers pack each box by hand, that packages are personally addressed, and that the contents are tailored bundles meant to send a taste of home. Troopathon says it has sent more than 1,000 tons of care packages over the years. You can donate online or by phone, sponsor a care package, request one for a deployed service member, or volunteer your time. The site does not clearly state how much it costs to sponsor a single package, how often packages ship, or exactly what goes into each one. If you want a predictable monthly product, you will not find that here. If you want an established way to support deployed troops, with the option to get personally involved, it is a sensible choice. Check the charity's financial disclosures before giving a large amount.