The idea began with Mario Castelli and his wife even before he joined the band of brothers.
"When my brothers found out, they were all on board," he said. "We passed the hat around at our meeting, we raised money, we did fundraisers. As soon as it's low, the fund gets low, we do it again."
The recipients of such packages are determined by word of mouth.
"All our friends and family, we tell everybody, you know anybody, let us know and we'll do the best we can to get them in the box," said Castelli.
Castelli said the price of creating and shipping one box has doubled from around $50 to over $100 in the last 10 years. But he and his fellow members still feel compelled to help.
To learn more about their efforts or how to get involved, visit the St. John's Lodge #115 website.
RELATED: Philly's 'Rosary Lady' handcrafts gifts for first responders and more
Philly's 'Rosary Lady' handcrafts gifts for first responders and more