SAN DIEGO, Dec. 6 /PRNewswire/ -- This holiday season, United States Marines and their families are being given an extra special gift. The Toolbar for Marines, designed by two women in Southern California, is helping Marines and their families use the Internet to stay connected, and find ways to make periods of deployment less stressful and more interactive. Additionally, half of all profits from the toolbar are donated to charities that support troops and their communities throughout the world. The toolbar can be used by everyone. It's a great way to show your support.

The idea for the toolbar came from friends of Marines who knew firsthand how difficult deployment could be for both the troops and their families. They designed a sophisticated toolbar that provides quick, convenient access to a number of websites and applications useful to Marines and their families. The toolbar is free to use and provides access to news, shopping discounts, chat rooms, community blogs, radio stations, USMC information and more. During times of deployment, the toolbar is an invaluable tool for families seeking support, information and advice and for troops who need fast access to sites they use regularly to check everything from leave times to benefits.

"The toolbar equips Marines and families with everything they need to prepare for deployment and to stay connected during this stressful time," says Elle Robertson. "Some of the unique features that we're really proud of include the links to countdown clocks, deployment calendars, calling cards, information about Iraq and financial and legal help sites. We've literally included everything we thought Marines and their families could possibly need in the toolbar."

Although new, the toolbar is already becoming popular with troops and their families. "My husband is deployed to Iraq. I use the toolbar to find gift ideas that say I love you, find links to community sites, and less expensive ways for my family to keep in touch," says Lauren, a wife of a U.S. Marine from Oceanside, California. "Your toolbar has really helped our family to feel connected to other families going through the same thing. We owe you. Thanks for supporting the troops!"

This holiday season, the founders of http://www.toolbarformarines.com are asking all troops, family members of troops, and supporters of troops to download the toolbar to use during online holiday shopping, and throughout the year. In addition to providing an invaluable service for U.S. Marines and their families, the toolbar also benefits several worthy causes. When online shoppers use the toolbar to search for items and make purchases, the toolbar receives a commission. Half of the profits made from the toolbar are donated to one of three charities: Toys for Tots, receives a commission.

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