3 Ways To Give Back This Memorial Day

With Memorial Day approaching, we are sharing simple ways you can give back to remember those who gave everything. We hope these ideas help you honor those who gave the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom.

1. Make A Donation

Honor those who lost their lives serving by donating to nonprofit organizations that help veterans with housing, job placements, healthcare or improving the well-being of those on active duty. You can make a contribution in honor, memory or celebration of someone special to you.

Need a cause to donate to? Here are a few:

• Combat Wounded
• Honor and Remember
• Veterans Matter

Or if you’d rather do something more personal, put together a military care package in memory of someone and sent to those deployed abroad. The U.S. Post Office offers a free ‘Military Care Kit’ and you can find out all the details on their website. Local organizations also have collections for living essentials to help those in your area return to civilian life.

If you’re a nonprofit looking to collect donations over Memorial Day, be sure to include mobile-friendly forms on your website, social media posts and text messages to make it easy for supporters to give wherever they are spending time over the long holiday weekend.

2. Say Thank You

Words of gratitude are powerful, and by writing a personal letter of appreciation to veterans, wounded warriors, family members of fallen soldiers or deployed troops you can make a meaningful impact.

If you’d prefer to do something on the actual holiday, try visiting a veterans cemetery. Many cemeteries host ceremonies and encourage flowers, wreaths and flags to be left behind on grave sites. Or you can simply post a photo of someone you would like to honor on social media, and encourage others to do so as well.

If you’re a nonprofit that serves military men and women, this is a good time to say thank you to those who support your cause and remind them of the impact you’ve made since last Memorial Day. Send a personalized text message thanking them with a video and link to a mobile-friendly donation form to support a new initiative you have underway.

3. Volunteer

Volunteers are an invaluable resource, and by serving those who served our country, you demonstrate your support. The Department of Veterans Affairs has a variety of opportunities available online, and you can search by location to get involved in your community.

Over the weekend, there are likely parades and events hosted by your city. Reach out to them and find out if they need help decorating, set-up or clean-up. Many times they are low on volunteers and can use the help.

If you’re a nonprofit in need of volunteers over Memorial Day weekend, include online forms and keywords (example: Text CAUSE to 51555) to capture sign-ups and those interested in your cause.

We hope this list inspires you to take action this Memorial Day weekend to honor the men and women who gave their lives for our country.