Sandboxx Community Newsletter

Season’s Greetings from Your Friends at Sandboxx

Reflecting on a Remarkable Year Together

From all of us at Sandboxx, thank you for making this year unforgettable. We wish you a joyful holiday season and a strong start to 2026.

When we first envisioned a digital home for military families and supporters, we hoped it would become a space filled with encouragement, pride, and belonging. What has unfolded this year has been even more special than we imagined. From answering each other’s questions and sharing photos to cheering on milestones and even stepping in to tap out a recruit when a loved one could not be there in person, this community has shown that connection here does not stop at the screen. It becomes real, it becomes part of our stories, and it becomes something truly extraordinary.

As the holidays arrive, we are reminded of what truly matters, connection, kindness, and helping one another feel a little less alone. That is why on Giving Tuesday, we are officially launching Send It Forward.

Send It Forward is our new community-powered generosity feature that encourages you to purchase letters in bundles with a giving heart, confidently knowing you can easily bless someone else in the Sandboxx community who still has a loved one in boot camp. You may be the reason another family receives unexpected encouragement during an especially tough week for them, or their recruit.

It is the purest expression of the Sandboxx mission of Doing Good by Doin’ Good. This season, we hope Send It Forward becomes a simple way to make someone’s holiday a little brighter.

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Season’s Streaming

In Episode 4 of MARINES on Netflix, there is a touching moment where Alicia, a mom to two Marines, sits reading the Sandboxx letters sent by her sons, Rolan and Pryce. Hearing her voice and witnessing the emotion behind those handwritten words is incredibly moving. Let us know if you caught the moment too!

We are honored that Sandboxx Letters were included in this powerful storytelling. It is a beautiful reminder of the strength and heart carried by every military family and the power of connection during training.

As you cozy up with loved ones this holiday season, we recommend adding MARINES to your watch list. It is an inspiring look into the making of a United States Marine and the families who stand behind them.

Sandboxx Community Wrapped 2025

Here’s what connection looked like in our first year together.

2025 marked the beginning of something extraordinary, the year our community came to life. Here is a look back at what we have built, shared, and celebrated together.

3M+ Letters Sent
Messages of love and encouragement that connected homes to bases, families to service members, and hearts across every branch.

100K+ Community Conversations Shared
Every question asked, story told, and piece of advice offered strengthened this community and reminded us that none of us walk this journey alone.

Most Talked About: Basic Training and Graduation
From the first hello to heartfelt graduation moments, thousands of members found connection, encouragement, and understanding from others walking the same journey.

Members Representing All 50 States
From coast to coast, Sandboxx families came together, reminding us that connection knows no distance and community can thrive anywhere.

28 Community Events
From virtual gatherings to milestone celebrations, we showed up for one another again and again, proving that connection is stronger than miles.

Infinite Gratitude
For every story shared, letter written, and milestone celebrated, thank you for making this year one to remember.

Our 2025 Favorites

Every day, we see the Sandboxx community come alive with beautiful stories, advice, and shared experiences. Here are a couple of our favorites:

Helpful Thread: Sky Z. Capriolo shared her JBSA Lackland graduation week tips, which garnered a phenomenal 975 likes and 1,317 comments!

Heartfelt Story: Melania Ekenasio-Shelly expressed gratitude to the Sandboxx community for all your support after her son completed The Crucible at MCRD Parris Island, see below:

Community Contributors: Thank you for the privilege of being in community together, and making it so incredibly meaningful day in and day out. Cheers to all the Community leaderboard members, and our three 2025 Sandboxxy Award Winners who consistently inspire us!

Kiea Quiles | RTC Great Lakes – Nearly 1K helpful posts and comments

Yolanda Ladson | JBSA Lackland – 1K+ encouraging posts and comments

Stacie Gibson | MCRD Parris Island – Consistently celebrating others wins

2025 Partnership Spotlight | Navy Federal Credit Union x Sandboxx

Connection, Support, and Service in Action.

This year, our partnership with Navy Federal Credit Union carried even more connection home. Through their sponsorship of 450,000 prepaid return envelopes, Navy Federal made it possible for thousands of recruits and their families to stay in touch during some of the most meaningful moments of military life.

From Military Appreciation Month to Veterans Day, their generosity ensured that no recruit had to think about postage when writing home. Each free return letter became a moment of comfort, a message of love, and a reminder that connection matters, especially during the hardest weeks of training.

We are deeply grateful for Navy Federal Credit Union’s continued support and their shared mission to serve those who serve, helping families across the Sandboxx Community stay connected in every way that counts.

With Sandboxx Love, from San Diego

Last month, Paul Davis, our Director of Military Relations, led members of the Sandboxx team on an incredible behind the scenes tour of MCRD San Diego, home to the training of more than one million United States Marines. Joining him were Janelle Quigley (Customer Happiness Manager), Tim Bay (Senior Android Engineer), Sam Sorenson (Operations Engineer), and Bethany Clark (Head of Community). Together, the team experienced the full arc of transformation that takes place on the Depot, from watching new recruits fill out their Sandboxx card on day three to witnessing the pride and emotion of graduation which they attended on Friday, November 21st.

The team also had the joy of meeting Brutus, the Depot’s beloved two-year-old English Bulldog mascot who proudly represents Marine Corps spirit and tradition at MCRD.

This visit was a powerful reminder of the honor and responsibility we have at Sandboxx. We are committed to supporting all recruits, across all branches, and their families, at every step of the journey and strengthening relationships with bases and military personnel from coast to coast.

Together, we serve those who serve.

Recipes & Recruits

A Season of Sharing, Comfort, and Connection

The holidays bring out the recipes we love most, the ones written with care, passed from one generation to the next, or bookmarked because they taste like home. This season, we are creating something meaningful together, a Recipes and Recruits Community Cookbook filled with the flavors, traditions, and heartwarming stories from families across the Sandboxx Community.

Whether your loved one is in training, stationed far from home, deployed, or spending the holidays wherever the mission takes them, your recipes and memories will help bring comfort and connection to others walking this same path.

You can post and share anything that feels meaningful to you, whether it is a handwritten recipe card, a family favorite passed down through generations, a page from a cookbook, a recipe you found online, a quick screenshot, a photo of your finished dish, or a photo of your recruit or service member. Just include a short note about why this recipe feels like home.

Throughout December and early January, we will collect your submissions and lovingly weave them into a digital cookbook for the community to download on Valentine’s Day, a celebration of family, love, and the connections that bring us together.

We cannot wait to see and hear about your favorite foods, your photos, your traditions, and the love and stories behind them.

Share Your Recipes Here

Dates of Honor & Celebration

Pearl Harbor Day | Day of Remembrance | Dec 7
A day to honor and remember the heroes of December 7, 1941, and all who continue to serve with courage and sacrifice.

Space Force Birthday | Guardians Day | Dec 20
Celebrating the newest branch of the U.S. military and the Guardians who keep our nation secure among the stars.

Christmas Eve | Dec 24
Christmas Day | Dec 25
New Year’s Eve | Dec 31

With Gratitude for You

As we close out this year, we want to thank you for every letter written, every story shared, every encouraging comment, and every way you showed up for one another. You turned this community into a place filled with heart, hope, and genuine connection. It is an honor to walk this journey with you.

From our Sandboxx family to yours, we are wishing you peace, joy, and moments of comfort throughout the holiday season. We cannot wait to continue supporting you and celebrating with you in 2026 and beyond.

Stay connected with us for stories, updates, and encouragement from the Sandboxx team and families just like yours.

We are grateful for you, today and always.

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