<p>My son is really slim and eats whole wheat products etc, so the stuff I send him is the dessert he wouldn't eat at the student center. It doesn't make him unhealthy.</p>
<p>I sent my sister care packages that I ordered from her college's dining services. One was a package of mixed cookies, others were punchcards to food places on grounds (smoothies, coffees, Chicken Fil-A). They were very well received!</p>
<p>I also sent her a Halloween care package from Hip Kits. It was quite pricey but she really enjoyed it.
Hip</a> Kits College Care Packages & Gifts</p>
<p>My son, who is a rising HS senior, is attending a four-week summer program, and the kids there are wild when they see a box come one's way. Well, I sent three the first two weeks -- and the kids thought I was the greatest. His friend also sent a box -- filled with his favorite snack food. We packed some additional T-shirts and shorts, but I also included various food stuffs, including homemade cookies, brownies and muffins. My son thought this was awesome. Now, he hopes that I will send him a box once in a while when he finally goes to college!</p>
<p>But of all the things I sent, it was the handwritten note that made the biggest impact. One of his friends read it aloud. Her only remark was, "I wish my mom said those kind of things." So, enclose a note. It does not need to be long, but just heartfelt. Every kid wants to hear that his Mom loves him.</p>
<p>The thing that bothered my son the most, however, was that some of the kids would send envelopes to themselves -- just so that they got mail. </p>
<p>Talk about heart-breaking.</p>
<p>I’ve sent home baked banana bread and zucchini bread muffins. It just gives them a touch of home.</p>
<p>Also, for years my family has used SendCare.com to create care packages and send to kids in college and family members in the military. You can choose all of the snacks that your son or daughter loves (including healthy ones) and add things like stuffed animals, gift cards (my son loves Papa John’s pizza, so including a card from there is an added treat) and practical things like toothpaste, books, etc.</p>
<p>[Unique</a> Care Packages for Any Occasion - SendCare.com College, Military and Custom Gift Packages](<a href=“http://www.sendcare.com%5DUnique”>http://www.sendcare.com)</p>
<p>So I realize this is a very old thread, but I was searching for info on “Collegiate Welcome Services”. Just received info from DD’s college (she’ll be a freshman) with info on 4 different packages and it’s being presented as a fundraiser for the school and they’re aiming for 100% participation.</p>
<p>I had seen things on the website that were some kind of care packages from a service (I think “mom” was included in the name) and I read through them thinking she would NEVER eat the stuff in the packages.</p>
<p>Well the stuff listed in theses packages from collegiate welcome services, DD would actually eat most of it and would probably think it was cool to get a treat 4 times during the year.</p>
<p>So, my point? Feedback! Anybody used this particular service? What did your kids think of hte packages?</p>
<p>The volunteer department at my D’s school offers levels of care packages at finals time. The money goes to support the programs. My D works there so I always get for her. They offer a junk package, a health food package and a pizza package. The prices are reasonable and the volunteer department seeks out volunteers to help them deliver the goodies to the dorms to make it easier for the kids.</p>
<p>The book store offers birthday and Valentine Day packages.</p>
<p>I am totally crappy at sending care packages otherwise.</p>
<p>Sent cookies once and D gave them away. She preferred the boxes with teas, facial masks and lotions, sour gummy worms (her guilty pleasure), and energy bars.</p>
<p>We send a package about six times a year: Halloween, Valentine’s, Easter, two weeks before each semester finals, and birthday. Daughter really likes the Betty Crocker Warm Delights microwavable cakes. Also homemade caramel corn, sardines and crackers, and Frango mints (Macy’s). Her school has really lousy fruit so we also include pears and apples. Her sophomore year her roommate had a room frig and we bought both of them Harry and David pears and they just loved those. The dollar store is great for little things to put in the packages that are fun but can be tossed at the end of the year.</p>
<p>I, too, have received several solicitations from the Collegiate Welcome Service program on behalf of my D’s school (incoming freshman in just 2 weeks). Has anyone used that particular service?</p>
<p>I also did the flat rate boxes and sent frequent custom-made care packages. Energy bars, teas, gift cards (Starbucks), cooling night-mask and facial masks, fuzzy socks, hair bands, Burt’s Bees and other cosmetic products, and the one candy D truly loves - gummy worms! No excess treats except one time another mom and I both baked and traded to send to our girls. My contribution was banana and pumpkin bread mini-loaves, also healthy. I have seen the commercial ones and they just don’t seem that healthy.</p>
<p>I have not used the care package service for 2 reasons: 1) the food is mostly junk food that my kid wouldn’t even want, and 2) the care packages are not delivered directly to the dorms. Students have to go pick them up across campus. My daughter asked me please NOT to spend the money because it was not worth the trouble. She said no one liked going to pick them up. This was especially true for the care packages during finals when she had a lot more on her mind than getting over to pick up a box of junk food.</p>
<p>I’ve sent lots of care packages for both D and S–two different colleges. Luckily, they had mail service in a decent location with good hours so pick up wasn’t a problem. However, ALWAYS notify your student if you’re sending something. S wasn’t so great about checking his mail, so needed to know to watch for stuff.</p>
<p>I also agree with flat rate USPS boxes! Best price and as I learned over time, almost always the fastest too. And the boxes are free which makes it all very easy.<br>
I always sent packages for Halloween, Easter, Valentine’s Day, St Patrick’s Day, 1 Finals Care Packages, and for their birthdays. I almost always did my own except when I used a service for birthday cookie/cakes. Oh and one time I used Omaha Steaks to send to S and his 3 roommates thanking his buddies for taking care of S when he broke an arm and had to have surgery along with attractive steel pins and plates! They did EVERYTHING for him and we were so grateful. And so were they after we sent them the fixings for a fabulous steak dinner!</p>
<p>It’s lots of fun to send these packages…I always included useful stuff (ie advil, starbucks gifts cards in the Finals Care Package) along with fun stuff like silly St Pat’s glasses/beads, Halloween decorations, etc. Now that my kids are graduated I’ve moved on to my niece who loves getting them. And I always get a chatty email from her afterwards which helps me keep up with her life.</p>
<p>I highly recommend doing it. I only used a commercial service once and like others have mentioned, too much of what came with the pre-packaged box was stuff they didn’t care for.</p>
<p>PS My kids both seemed to enjoy getting them. However, if I’d felt they did not, I would have probably just sent occasional gift cards instead.</p>
<p>Any tips for sending homemade goodies?</p>
<p>you are asking the right person! i sent the 2 day priority mail box about $5 - amount of cookies i baked that could fit in it. i sent them weekly on mondays after making them on the weekend, so it would get there on a weekday. in the summer i would freeze the box and go to the post office on monday to send. D’s and their friends loved them. i baked frequently from a premade mix- choc chip cookies were their favorite. yes they did not need the cookies but i always said ‘share’ and share they did- when we visit the dorm we are greeted by their friends who are very thankful for the sweets and wanted to meet us! it made me feel good too. i have done this for 6 years. yes i get a break in the summer and during semesters abroad.</p>
<p>I agree with most of the posters above. I’ve never used the service mentioned, we frequently sent our own homemade goodies (often frozen to keep longer). The swim team at our D’s school also had a Study Basket they sold before finals which we purchased. They delivered to the student and made money for their team.</p>
I have and now I am beginning to worry it might have been a scam. My daughter texted to tell me she had gotten an email notifying her that a package had been delivered for her, but when she got over to mail services, she found nothing there. This company sends a letter with your child’s university printed on it making you believe its some form of fundraiser for the school. I came across one for the same company under a different college name when I googled them. There is no information on how to contact them. Feeling scammed.
Please use old threads only for research. If you want more info or discussion please start your own thread. People will start replying to the OP who is likely long gone.