Monday, May 30, 2016

Giving Back to Those Who Serve




This Memorial Day, the Really Real Housewives are going to take a break from BBQs and pinics to offer our sincerest appreciation to our fallen heroes. Their sacrifice assures our rights and our freedoms. As Thomas Jefferson said, "The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants."

And while we lounge in the shade of freedom on this holiday, let us remember our fallen heroes in a way they would appreciate...helping their fellow brothers.

Operation Homefront is a charity established to assist US military personnel and their families. Operation Homefront has a 4 star rating from Charity Navigator, is accredited through BBB Wise Giving Alliance, and has an A rating from CharityWatch.
Operation Homefront offers a variety of ways to help. 

You can a specific soldier in a particular situation to donate to. For example, there is a military family seeking donations for their newborn. You can scroll through the list of needs and choose for yourself. You can see that list here.

Or you can make a one-time online donation here, or through traditional mail to this address: 

Operation Homefront
45975 Nokes Blvd Ste 140
Sterling, VA 20166-6555

Any amount is appreciated. There is no minimum donation.
Operation Homefront also offers ways for people to get involved by volunteering. You can help organize fundraisers or participate in the yearly marathon. Check that out here.
No money? No time to organize a fundraiser or inclination to run a marathon? They have outside-the- box donation opportunities. An old gift card you have no need for? They will take it. Have a service you can offer? Contact Ebony Strange at inkind@operationhomefront.net and see how you can help.

And there is one more way to help, that is as easy as clicking a link when you shop. 

Shop Amazon via this link and Operation Homefront gets a donation

Operation Homefront also has an Amazon Wish List. You can purchase items that will be used to help military families.

That's just a few ways to help. To find out more, check out their website. To stay informed of other opportunities, follow the group on Facebook



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Ever wonder why the Veteran's of Foreign Wars give you a poppy as a thanks when you make a donation? The sentiment is taken from this poem by John McCrae. Disabled vets were hired to make the poppies that their fellow vets hand out as a token of thanks during their fundraising efforts.


8 comments:

  1. Hi Elizabeth - an excellent Memorial Day post - we need to give back for our lives, and for the fact we are here ... we need to help others and set standards of leadership ... thank you for the reminder that we can always help ... Hilary

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    1. I agree. What I loved most about this charity was the many different ways a person can help and support the cause. If even just to click the link to shop at Amazon- that's pretty easy!

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  2. Great post Liz. I watched the Memorial Day Concert fro Washington last night and there was a lot of emphasis on helping veterans and telling them where to get help or where the rest of us could give assistance. There were even a few veterans from the Second World War II. It was a wonderful concert.

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    1. There are so many good charities. I found several in my research, but I went with this one because of the many, many different ways to help. And I'm not sure if this is the one that helped my cousin's wife while he was in Afghanistan, but while he was deployed, she was sent a volunteer to mow her lawn- which was wonderful because she had small kids and lived away from family.

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  3. My dad sent me this amazing and heart felt Memorial Day video. I think this holiday goes a little under the radar but it's one of my more inspiring ones!

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    1. We can lose sight of the purpose the holiday was meant for, that's for certain.

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  4. Terrific and helpful post, Elizabeth. Thanks.

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Thanks for stopping by the House!

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