Troopster

What Troopster does

Troopster is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2015 by U.S. Navy veteran Chelsea Mandello, headquartered in Sandston, Virginia. The company operates a Shopify-powered direct-to-consumer e-commerce platform that sells curated and customizable care packages to deployed U.S. service members worldwide, complemented by a charitable donation program (Troopster Donation Corp) that funds free packs for troops without family support networks. Product offerings span pre-made thematic care packs (by military branch, gender, food, hygiene, coffee, games), a Build Your Care Package configurator with 31 categories, a Deployment Subscription Box for recurring monthly shipments, and a Monthly Giving program called The Giving Branch. The technology stack is standard e-commerce: Shopify for storefront and transactions, USPS integration for APO/FPO/DPO military addresses, Olark for live chat, Google Analytics for site analytics, LeadDyno for affiliate program management, and EventCalendarApp for volunteer scheduling. PCI-DSS compliance applies to payment processing.

The business model combines three revenue mechanics: direct-to-consumer care pack sales (individual items from $0.75 to premium boxes at $135, with free shipping to military addresses for orders over $49.99), subscription recurring revenue (Deployment Subscription Box and Monthly Giving), and tax-deductible donations through the 501(c)(3) arm. Each purchase operates under a Buy One Give One model that donates a pack to a troop in need. Go-to-market is community-led and direct-to-consumer, leveraging volunteer events, corporate co-branding partnerships (over 30 corporate sponsors including BAE Systems, Microsoft, Navy Federal Credit Union, and Dominion Energy), an affiliate program, and pack-out events where corporate teams assemble care packages. The customer base is segmented into military families (primary), deployed service members (primary), corporate sponsors (secondary), and community organizations (secondary). Notable enterprise engagements include a 2024 QTS Data Centers partnership supporting 10,000 troops with 160,000+ products assembled, and a 2024 Honda of Sarasota partnership. The organization has shipped 70,000+ care packages cumulatively since founding, with a stated goal of 20,000+ packages annually.

Name

Troopster

Legal name

Troopster

Website

https://troopster.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Troopster is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit e-commerce platform that sells curated and customizable care packages to deployed U.S. service members worldwide, supported by a charitable donation arm and corporate co-branding partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Military Care Packages

NAICS

Emergency and Other Relief Services (624230), Other Grantmaking and Giving Services (813219), Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Business Services (7380)

akta.pro primary industry

Veterans Affairs & Military Family Services (BPAIAHAL)

Keywords

• Military care packages
• Care package subscriptions
• Nonprofit charity services
• APO/FPO shipping services
• Corporate sponsorship programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Sandston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Care Package Sales: Direct sales of pre-made care packages and customizable build-your-own packages to military families and supporters. Products range from individual snacks to comprehensive care packs priced from $0.75 to $135.
2. Deployment Subscription Boxes: Monthly recurring subscription service that automatically ships new care packages to deployed service members. Customers subscribe and cancel anytime, with automatic monthly billing and tracking included.
3. Direct Donations: Tax-deductible donations through Troopster Donation Corp (501(c)(3)) supporting free care packages for troops without family support networks. One-time donations from $35 to $600, and monthly recurring donations through The Giving Branch program.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Troopster sells curated and customizable physical care packages to U.S. military families, friends, and corporate sponsors for shipment to deployed service members worldwide via USPS APO/FPO/DPO channels. The core commercial offering is an e-commerce product line of themed pre-made care packs (military-branch and lifestyle themed), a recurring Deployment Subscription Box, and a Build Your Care Package configurator with 31 add-on categories. Charitable offerings include one-time and monthly donation programs through the affiliated Troopster Donation Corp 501(c)(3), a free care-pack request service for deployed troops without family networks, and corporate Sponsor a Pack Event engagements.

Product overview

Troopster is a veteran-founded nonprofit e-commerce platform that sells curated military care packages and related products to support deployed U.S. service members. The product portfolio centers on pre-made care packs organized by military branch (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, Space Force) and theme (For Dudes, For Ladies, Food & Snacks, Fitness & Hygiene, Coffee & Drinks, Fun & Games), alongside a customizable Build Your Care Package builder with 31 individual product categories spanning snacks, hygiene, apparel, tactical gear, and specialty diets. The core offerings include the Deployment Subscription Box for recurring monthly shipments, One-Time Care Pack Donation and Monthly Giving (The Giving Branch) programs for charitable support, and the Free Care Pack Request service for deployed troops without family networks. Additional products include branded merchandise (Master Chief Pack, Tactical Pack, Protein Pack, Survival Kit) and corporate engagement programs like Sponsor a Pack Event for team-building. Buy One Give One model donates a pack to a troop in need with each purchase. The platform is built on Shopify e-commerce infrastructure with integrations for shipping (USPS to APO/FPO/DPO), live chat support, analytics, and affiliate marketing.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Troopster Donation Corp: A registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation that allows individuals to make tax-deductible monetary donations to support care package distribution to deployed troops.

Products and services

• Pre-made Care Packs Curated, themed care packages sold to military families and supporters for shipment to deployed service members; organized by military branch (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, Space Force) and lifestyle theme (For Dudes, For Ladies, Food & Snacks, Fitness & Hygiene, Coffee and Drinks, Fun & Games). Includes specific named packs such as Mail Call Pack, Master Chief Pack, Protein Pack, Tactical Pack, Survival Kit, Trench Warfare, Snacker's Pack, YUM! Candy Crunch, Make It For Me, and Smells Like Freedom. Each purchase triggers a Buy One Give One donation of a pack to a troop without a family network.
• Deployment Subscription Box Monthly recurring subscription service that automatically ships new care packs to a deployed service member with rotating contents including jerky, hygiene items, games, apparel, snacks, food, and toiletries. Includes shipment tracking, automatic monthly billing, and the ability to cancel at any time.
• Build Your Care Package Online configurator letting customers build a fully customized care package by selecting individual items across 31 categories spanning accessories, apparel, bedding, food, hygiene, tactical gear, workout items, and specialty diets (Keto, Vegan, etc.). Customers can add greeting cards and personalized notes for the deployed recipient.
• One-Time Care Pack Donation Tax-deductible donation program through Troopster Donation Corp (501(c)(3)) that funds free care packages for deployed service members without family support networks. One-time donation tiers include $35 for 1 pack, $175 for 5 packs, $350 for 10 packs, and $700 for 20 packs.
• Monthly Giving (The Giving Branch) Recurring monthly tax-deductible donation program through Troopster Donation Corp (501(c)(3)) with special Giving Branch member perks, enabling supporters to fund ongoing care packages for multiple deployed soldiers on a monthly basis.
• Free Care Pack Request Free care package program that allows deployed U.S. service members who lack a family support network to request a care pack directly, with shipping via APO/FPO/DPO addresses and delivery times of 2-12 weeks depending on location. Funded by charitable donations to Troopster Donation Corp.
• Sponsor a Pack Event Corporate team-building and CSR service in which organizations sponsor and host on-site pack-out events. Troopster supplies the package contents, packaging, shipping logistics, and marketing materials, while the corporate sponsor provides volunteer employees to assemble care packages that are then shipped to deployed troops.

Quantifiable outcome

• 70,000+ care packages sent to deployed troops worldwide
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration8 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• QTS Data CenterscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 November 2024Partnership with QTS Data Centers supporting 10,000 deployed troops through a nationwide initiative. More than 160,000 premium products were assembled with USPS support to ship care packages to deployed service members. This represents one of Troopster's largest corporate partnerships.
• Amazon SmileminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTroopster participates in AmazonSmile program where Amazon donates a portion of qualifying purchases to support Troopster's mission.
• Product PartnersminorOthersVarious product partners including Colgate, Four Point, Black Rifle Coffee, hot sauce companies, coffee brands, Jody Popcorn, Kickass Beef, Iceshaker, and Vivarin that supply products for care packages.
• Community PartnersminorOthersCommunity organizations including churches, schools, and nonprofits that create custom branded care packages for troops through Troopster Donation Corp. Examples include Knights of Columbus Council 11984 and Buffalo Renaissance Foundation.
• Corporate Sponsors ListcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerOver 30 corporate sponsors including ADS, Agile Defense, BAE Systems, Dominion Energy, Microsoft, Navy Federal Credit Union, and others supporting pack events and care package donations.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• USO (United Service Organizations): The pre-eminent nonprofit supporting U.S. military service members with a much broader portfolio (entertainment, transition, family programs) but overlapping the care-package and deployed-troops support space.
• Fisher House Foundation: Major military-family nonprofit providing free lodging near VA and military hospitals; addresses a different but adjacent military family support need and competes for the same corporate and donor mind-share.

Direct peers

• Operation Gratitude: Large-scale nonprofit that ships care packages to deployed troops, veterans, and first responders, with a similar model of volunteer pack-out events, corporate sponsorships, and individual donations.
• Support Our Troops: Military-support nonprofit that funds care packages, holiday events, and慰问 programs for deployed service members and their families, with a similar mission footprint.
• Soldiers' Angels: National nonprofit supporting deployed service members and veterans with care packages, letters, and adoption programs; explicitly mentioned as a Troopster customer and competes in the same care-package donor and volunteer ecosystem.
• Any Soldier: Volunteer-driven service that connects civilians with deployed soldiers to send letters and care packages, addressing the same deployed-troop support need through a different distribution mechanism.
• Move America Forward: Nonprofit that organizes care package drives and troop-support events for deployed U.S. military, competing for the same corporate sponsorships and donor dollars.
• Packages From Home: Nonprofit that sends care packages and letters to deployed U.S. military members, especially those in remote or under-supported locations, competing directly in the deployed-troop care package niche.
• Operation Care Package: Volunteer-run organization that collects and ships care packages to deployed service members, with similar pack-out event and donation-driven operating model.

Others

• Black Rifle Coffee Company: Veteran-founded consumer brand with strong military community affinity; supplies coffee into Troopster care packages and exemplifies the type of brand partner and adjacent military-audience commercial brand Troopster competes for attention with.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/troopster
• Xx.com/Troopster
• Facebookfacebook.com/troopstercarepackages

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Troopster