Community Support for Veterans is about acknowledging their sacrifices and supporting their journey back to civilian life.  By promoting awareness , advocacy and direct support, communities can ensure that veterans are not just appreciated for their past contributions but also empowered for their future endeavors.

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Ways we can appreciate our Veterans:

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There are as of 9/30/23 over 18 million Veterans living in the United States today.  The return to civilian life is met with significant struggles and here are some things to keep in mind that will help to show your gratitude to them. 

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• 1. Help Veterans who are homeless. There are Stand Down programs that are local 1-3 day events that provide a single spot for vets to receive food, shelter, health screenings and other needs.  To volunteer for a Stand Down event near you, check with the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans.  info@nchv.org

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• 2. Provide a service dog for a vet.  They can help Veterans who have PTSD, vision impairments, physical injuries or brain injuries. There are some organizations that use volunteers to raise puppies as service dogs. Such as Puppy Jake Foundation located in Des Moines Iowa.  There is also an organization called Puppies Behind Bars located in NYC that work with prison inmates to raise dogs for Veterans. 

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• 3. You can help Veterans get medical care and other resources;  Disabled American Veterans (DAV) is a non profit that drives veterans to medical appointments, helps veterans with medical, employment and other general needs. They also can assist them with filing benefits claims with the government.  The DAV needs volunteers to: Drive veterans to appointments at Veterans Affairs hospitals around the country. Volunteer at VA hospitals.  They also provide caregiver benefits, burial benefits and employment benefits. Assist Veterans in your community with needs such as grocery shopping, running errands or even helping with yard work. You can go to www.dav.org 

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• 4. Build a home for a veteran- there are a couple organizations that build new homes or adapt existing homes for veterans with severe injuries.  If you are a contractor or a tradesman the following can use your skills.  " Building Homes for Veterans" and "Homes for Our Troops"  If you don't have building expertise you can still get involved by donating funds, goods and services or land. 

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• 5.  Help active troops talk to loved ones.  USO Operation Phone Home allows troops to connect with loved ones through free phone calls and high speed internet access available at USO service centers.   THe USO has many volunteer opportunities.

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• 6.  If you see a Veteran while out and about please take the time to say, " Thank you for your Service." or you could pay for a Veterans meal, or donate to a veteran service organization.