CAMP FOSTER, Okinawa — The III Marine Expeditionary Force and Marine Corps Bases Japan Holiday Food Voucher Program is again looking to ensure Marine and sailor families here have plentiful holiday meals.

The program, coordinated by the Personal Services Center, will distribute $50 vouchers to qualified families during the Thanksgiving and December holidays, center director Bert Corn said Tuesday.

The vouchers can only be redeemed at Okinawa commissaries and must be used within six months of issue date, according to the III MEF order governing the program.

The vouchers can be used to purchase whatever the families want with the exception of tobacco products, Corn said.

"Some families would rather skip the holiday meal and buy diapers because they’re very expensive and that’s OK," he said.

Those eligible are:

 Single-income families of E-4s and below with one or more dependents, and E-5 families with two or more dependents.

 Single-income families of GS-5 equivalent and below with one or more children.

 Families who have special financial needs.

Families who qualify must go through their unit’s representative, Corn said.

Units must submit names for Thanksgiving by Nov. 7. Names for December must be submitted by Dec. 5. Vouchers will be issued Nov. 10-14 and Dec. 9-12.

Marine Corps Base Camp Butler’s religious offerings fund, unit fundraisers and donations finance the program.

Chaplains will be collecting for the religious offerings at services Nov. 2 and 16 and Dec. 7. People wanting to donate can also bring a check or money order, made out to HFVP, to the Personal Services Center on Camp Foster.

"Last year was by far and away the best year we ever had," Corn said of the more than $50,000 distributed to 815 families.