American Red Cross needs help replenishing supplies Published June 20, 2016 By By Karen Abeyasekere 100th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs RAF MILDENHALL, England -- The American Red Cross is holding a replenishment drive until June 24, to refill comfort kits for those in transit or far from home.Team Mildenhall members are asked to donate toiletry supplies which, once the comfort kits have been put together, will be shipped to a deployed location in Kuwait. They will then be housed there and forwarded wherever they are needed.“Our goal is to collect enough items to make 200 comfort kits,” said Regan Jefferson, ARC regional program specialist.The ARC exists to provide compassionate care to those in need, and they are also chartered by Congress to provide a service to the military.“Toiletries are basic necessities,” said Jefferson. “We as the ARC should always have those on hand.“Recently, with the evacuation in Turkey we depleted a lot of our stocks, so the European division of our Red Cross stations are now doing the replenishment drive and are asking for basic necessities,” she added.Items required, in sizes no larger than 3 ounces (travel size), are as follows:• Toothbrushes• Toothpaste• Deodorant• Shampoos• Conditioners• Lotions• Razors• Bars of soap• Wash cloths• Hand sanitizerCollection boxes are located on RAF Mildenhall at the Bob Hope Community Center, BXtra, commissary and ARC office in building 440. At RAF Lakenheath they are at the Exchange, ARC office in building 872, commissary, and hospital (front and annex doors).“The purpose of collecting these is if there’s another emergency or evacuation, we can then provide those necessities,” said Jefferson. “When you think of toiletries, you think of it as something small, but I don’t think people realize how important it is to have those basic needs until an emergency arises and they don’t. They’re basic, but they are a necessity to even just feel clean, and no one should ever be denied that.”For more information, contact Jefferson at DSN 238-3742.