Our service members make great sacrifices to protect this great nation, oftentimes at great personal expense. Many service members and veterans struggle with mental health issues, financial hardship, lasting medical issues, housing struggles, and more.

As a result, many non-profit organizations have been founded to help our military members navigate and overcome their challenges so they can lead fulfilling lives, both while serving and after they transition into the civilian world. If you’re interested in supporting our troops but don’t know where to start, you can find a list of some of the most well-known organizations and tips for finding non-profits in your area.

What Is a Military or Veteran Organization?

A military or veteran non-profit organization is a group that provides active support to members of the United States Armed Forces. These organizations vary in what they offer. For example, there are non-profits that offer financial support, mental health advocacy, family assistance, housing, and more to our troops. If you can think of something our service members need, it’s likely there’s an organization out there that supports it.

Why Should You Support Military and Veteran Organizations?

Supporting military and veterans organizations is crucial when it comes to assisting our service members and their families. Many of our troops rely on these organizations to get the help they need, whether they’re struggling with their mental health, need assistance with their medical care, need help with their finances, or more.

Here are some reasons you should consider choosing a military or veteran organization the next time you want to support a non-profit:

●Appreciating their sacrifice: Service members and their families make sacrifices every day that often aren’t considered or go unnoticed by civilians. Supporting a military or veteran organization can help show your appreciation for the sacrifices our troops make for the sake of our safety.

●Fostering community: It’s important to remember that service members are just regular people who are a part of our community, meaning they deserve the same support you’d show any other group.

●Honoring their service: Donating and supporting military and veteran organizations is an excellent way to show your recognition of their service. Even a small contribution can go a long way in showing your support and appreciation for our troops.

●Improving morale: Mental health is a challenge for many service members, which is why supporting them through non-profit organizations is a great way to improve morale. When service members see that other people care about their well-being, it can help alleviate some of the stress on their shoulders and make them feel like their struggles are important. With improved morale, it will be easier for service members to focus on their operations.

Top National Organizations to Support

There are many different military and veteran organizations to support, but there are some that are more well-known and established than others that serve the national community.

Some of the most well-known organizations with an established history of supporting our service members and veterans are:

1. Disabled American Veterans (DAV) Charitable Service Trust

The DAV provides various supportive services and programs to veterans and their families to improve their quality of life and mental well-being. For example, the DAV supports physical and psychological rehabilitation programs to help veterans overcome their challenges after their service. Grants are also available through the DAV to assist at-risk, homeless, and sick veterans.

2. Homes for Our Troops, Inc.

Homes for Our Troops provides housing for post-9/11 injured veterans so they can start rebuilding their lives. Home for Our Troops both builds and donates homes that are specially customized and adapted to meet the specific needs of our wounded veterans, helping them create a space that’s conducive to their mobility challenges after their injuries.

3. Operation Gratitude

Operation Gratitude is an excellent organization to support if you want to directly express your gratitude to our service members deployed overseas. This organization puts together care packages to help boost morale, and you can donate directly, whether it’s a cash donation or specific items, to have a package delivered to an active duty service member overseas.

4. Fisher House Foundation

The Fisher House Foundation builds homes where military families can stay when their loved one is in the hospital. The Fisher Foundation builds these homes close to VA and military medical centers so their family can be close by without having to worry about paying for accommodation elsewhere or trying to find a place close by at the last minute. These homes are built with up to 21 suites and plenty of amenities to help military families live comfortably during their stay.

5. National Military Family Association

The NMFA aims to support military families and enhance their well-being by supporting programs that support these families and advocating for military families in important discussions. The donations they receive go to serving military families at retreats and camps, assisting with childcare fees, and paying for scholarships for military spouses.

6. Hope for the Warriors

Hope for the Warriors is an organization that provides support programs to military members, veterans, and their families. The goal is to connect service members and their family members to valuable community resources to meet their changing needs. These resources aim to help with transitions, health and wellness, and peer engagement.

7. Children of Fallen Patriots Foundation

The Children of Fallen Patriots Foundation helps provide education assistance to children who have lost a parent while they were serving in the military. The tuition assistance for college and educational counseling helps set these children up for success while also giving them an opportunity they may not have been able to access otherwise.

8. Operation First Response

Operations First Response serves military members, veterans, Gold Star families, and first responders. The funds they raise are given back to American heroes to assist them with their lives and with their transition back into the civilian world, with their main focus being on alleviating financial hardship from these heroes and their families.

Keep in mind that this isn’t a comprehensive list. There are more than 45,000 military and veteran non-profits in the United States, so it’s impossible to list them all here. However, this list is a good place to start if you’re not familiar with any non-profit organizations but want to start showcasing your support.

Top Local Organizations to Support

While there are many large organizations that provide support to our service members and veterans on a national scale, there are also noteworthy organizations that provide assistance on a more local level. These organizations often don’t have the same operating capacity as national organizations, but they still offer valuable programs and services to our troops and veterans. Some of the smaller, local organizations you can consider supporting include:

1. Off-Road Outreach

Off-Road Outreach is an organization based out of Fayetteville, North Carolina that provides various services to homeless veterans in the area, including hot and mobile showers. Off-Road Outreach also provides food and clothing to our homeless veterans and offers suicide prevention services to help our veterans who are struggling with their mental health. We talk with the founder of Off-Road Outreach here.

2. Jeeps4Vets

Jeeps4Vets is an organization that hosts events to raise money and donations to give back to our military veterans in the community. By starting his own Jeep Club, Chris Acker, the founder of Jeeps4Vets is able to support veterans and help them get back on their feet after they transition out of the military. You can hear more about this organization here.

3. Roots for Boots

Roots for Boots is a non-profit that encourages local community members to use their talents, gifts, or resources to help veterans in need. This organization gives civilians the opportunity to get directly involved with their support, whether they’re volunteering for events, helping fundraise, or serving as part of an event committee. You can hear all the details about this organization on episode four of our podcast.

4. One Common Bond

Based out of Fayetteville, North Carolina, One Common Bond is an organization that offers grief support to those who lose a loved one to suicide, including service members and their families. This long-term support helps many military families deal with their grief and take steps to move forward despite their loss. You can hear more about the inspiring work of One Common Bond on our podcast.

5. 7 Days For The Troops

7 Days for the Troops is an organization that raises money for disabled veterans to meet their unique needs. Founder Scott Burns camps out for seven days and hosts an event that features raffles, music, worship services, and more to encourage donations that will go toward helping our veterans. Listen to the 11th episode of Honoring Hidden Heroes to hear more about this organization’s work.

How to Find Other Organizations to Support

Military and veteran organizations aren’t limited to the ones at the top. Many smaller, lesser-known organizations still do great work for the military community and deserve the same kind of support these bigger organizations get.

You can find additional organizations to support, both locally and across the country, by:

●Talking to service members: If there are service members in your community, you can reach out to them to ask them what organizations are local or worthy of support. They can give you recommendations based on personal experience or what they’ve heard from their fellow service members. People in the military are also more likely to know more about organizations than the average civilian.

●Connecting with your community: Your local community will likely be aware of organizations close to home supporting our service members and veterans. Ask around with the people you know to see if anyone has heard of any organizations you may not know about but want to support.

●Looking online: The internet is your friend when it comes to researching non-profits since most organizations will have their information available online so you can donate or volunteer. It’s easier to find lesser-known organizations online too, especially if you use local keywords to find non-profits near you.

●Attending local events: Going out and attending local events is a great way to find non-profits since many of these groups will set up a booth or stand to inform the local community about their work. If you live in a military community, many of these organizations are likely to support the military in some way. And if you don’t, there is still a possibility you can find military and veteran organizations in your area.

Check Out the Ways We Support Our Troops and Their Families Here at MLC

While we’re not a non-profit organization, we do our best to help our service members and veterans when and where we can. We highlight various organizations and individuals doing great work in the military community on our monthly podcast, Honoring Hidden Heroes. We also offer a 10% discount on all of our products for service members and their families as a small way to show our support and appreciation for our troops. You can also contact us if you have any questions!