Although Thanksgiving and Christmas may be long behind us, there’s still plenty of love that can be shared this month by volunteering or making charitable donations to local organizations that help military families.
It’s common for veterans and military families to face challenges that civilian families may not always be able to identify with. This includes long deployments, frequent moves, recovering from traumatic mental and physical injuries, grappling with post-traumatic stress while attempting to assimilate to civilian life, and higher rates of unemployment. Therefore, it’s important to give back to the veteran and military community all year round.
According to research, more than half — 70 percent — of Americans donate to charity in some way each year in the United States. Like many Americans, you may be interested in donating to local, regional, or national veterans charities but are unsure of the best way to go about doing so. Luckily, there are several ways to get involved.
Make a donation
Every single donation makes a difference! Commonly donated items include non-perishable food, household goods and appliances, and clothing donations. Since this winter has been particularly severe, warm clothing is in demand. Short on time? No problem! Most veterans charities offer local donation pick ups. Simply contact your local charity in order to schedule a time to have your donations picked up from your home.
Volunteer
Volunteering is an excellent way to get involved and give back to the veteran and military community. Veterans charities and organizations exist because of the contributions of generous donors and volunteers, and are always in need of help. In addition, volunteering has been shown to have many physiological benefits such as reduce blood pressure.
Send a care package
Even if you life in a remote area or are immobile, there are still ways to you can give back thanks to the internet. Many organizations that help military families and veterans allow you to assemble a care package online and have it shipped directly to the family or veteran.
