Many businesses express their desire to give back to the military community as a small token of appreciation but don’t know where to begin. Here are a few of the best ways for your business to get involved with the military community and show your appreciation for their sacrifice:
Donate:
There are hundreds of charities that do amazing work for all different types of situations for service members, military families, and even service dogs. Here are just a few examples of military charities that do great work and have an easy donation process:
Blue Star Families – Provides free resources and opportunities to 1.5 million military families
Fisher House Foundation – Provides military families with housing close to loved ones who are hospitalized
Homes for Our Heroes – Provides or coordinates financial assistance to the heroes of our country
Pets For Patriots – Gives the gift of joy and companionship to Veterans
Go Fund Veteran – Crowd based funding for the military community to help support their dreams
Discounts:
Offering military discounts is a simple way for companies to give back to the military community, help with financial burdens, and create goodwill. Military discounts can be offered in-store and online, all year round or in honor of special occasions like Veteran’s Day and Memorial Day. When offering a military discount, keep in mind that gating your offer is the best way to ensure the discount does not go viral and to ensure that military members are the only customers that gain access to redeem it.
Volunteer:
Many organizations are doing such great things for the military community, but don’t have the bandwidth to keep everything running smoothly without volunteers. Taking a day or an afternoon to have your company volunteer is a great way to get involved, and with many opportunities in most communities, it’s also easy to find volunteering opportunities.
Last year, the SheerID team volunteered at the Veteran Stand Down which provides food, clothing, shelter, healthcare, and counseling to homeless veterans for 1-3 days. The Veteran Stand Down is constantly traveling to new cities, so visit https://www.va.gov/homeless/events.asp to see when they are in an area near you.
Send a letter:
There is nothing better than receiving a handwritten letter, especially when you are away from home. Organizations like Operation Gratitude send letters overseas to troops. Have everyone in your company take a few minutes to write a letter and help make a soldiers day.
While there are dozens of ways for companies to get involved with the military community, donating, offering discounts, volunteering, and sending letters are great options that will fit any budget and are all simple enough to get started today.
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