care package

American  

noun

1. Also CARE package. a package containing food, clothing, or other items sent as necessities to people in need of them.

2. a gift of treats to relatives or friends, especially of items not readily available to them.

   She sends monthly care packages of homemade cookies to her son at college.

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care package Idioms  

1. A gift package of food or other items not readily available to the recipient, as in While I was in college, Mom sent me a care package of homemade cookies just about every month. This term originated after World War II with CARE, an organization founded to send needed food, clothing, and other items to war-torn nations. By the 1960s the term had been transferred to sending packages of treats to children at camp, students away at school, and the like.

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Etymology

Origin of care package

First recorded in 1945–50; from the aid packages distributed by CARE

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

care package

Amacher got through after giving his name as "Tim," saying he was trying to send a care package to a cousin and providing a four-digit patient code, the full recording shows.

From Barron's ● Oct. 12, 2026

The Northern Health and Social Care Trust apologised to Alison for the challenges with her care package, but said it was "regrettably" unable to facilitate a bedtime visit because of staffing pressures and increasing demand.

From BBC ● Jun. 30, 2026

Meanwhile, a care package is one of the few parts of NHS spending where the cost of an individual is highly visible.

From BBC ● May 19, 2026

A major factor is the crisis in social care provision, which sees older, more frail patients trapped in hospital beds for days or even weeks because a suitable care package cannot be found.

From BBC ● Mar. 2, 2026

I’m sending a care package from Dad’s trading post.

From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith

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