When you Pack for a Purpose, please bring only the specific items requested by the community-based projects. This is what is needed and will be greatly appreciated. The lists have been well researched and unrequested items, even with the best of intentions, are largely inappropriate for the communities and are likely to have little short and no long term benefits for them.

Before You Pack:

Check with your airline and travel agent to determine the current luggage allowance to your destination.

School Supplies:

The following new items should be taken out of their original packaging and placed in the lightest possible plastic or fabric resealable bags: pens, pencils, erasers, individual pencil sharpeners, solar calculators, protractors and colored pencils.

The following items should be kept in their original packaging to prevent breakage: crayons, chalk, plastic and wooden rulers should be wrapped in bubble wrap to prevent breakage. Games such as Scrabble^®, Connect Four^®, Dominoes^® and Bananagrams^® should be left in their original packages.

Medical Supplies:

Any medicines that you bring should have an expiration date at least 8 months after the time you are bringing them.

Expensive items such as stethoscopes, blood pressure cuffs etc. should be put in plastic or fabric resealable bags and packed in your carry-on luggage.

The following new items should be taken out of their original packaging and placed in the lightest possible plastic or fabric resealable bags: Band-Aids, bandages and any other items where the weight would be reduced by eliminating the original packaging.