{"id":249,"date":"2014-10-10T23:47:20","date_gmt":"2014-10-10T23:47:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ncpeacebooth.org\/content\/?page_id=249"},"modified":"2017-08-25T12:44:37","modified_gmt":"2017-08-25T12:44:37","slug":"how-we-can-help-our-service-members-and-veterans","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"http:\/\/ncpeacebooth.org\/content\/2014-documents\/how-we-can-help-our-service-members-and-veterans\/","title":{"rendered":"How We Can Help our Service Members and Veterans"},"content":{"rendered":"

Compiled by Quaker House\"soldier
\n223 Hillside Ave, Fayetteville, NC 28302
\n910-323-3912<\/strong><\/p>\n

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  1. Contact homeless shelters, soup kitchens, etc., and ask for help identifying veterans who need help and\/or volunteer to sponsor support groups for them at their location or yours.<\/li>\n
  2. Conduct Mindfulness, yoga, writing, and\/or art classes for active service members and\/or veterans. All are excellent for PTSD treatment.<\/li>\n
  3. Begin a community gardening project and invite veterans to join you.<\/li>\n
  4. Invite other faith communities to work with you in supporting service members and veterans.<\/li>\n
  5. Invite mental health professionals that you know to join \u201cGive an Hour,\u201d a nonprofit organization offering free mental health services to US military personnel and their families affected by Iraq and Afghanistan.<\/li>\n
  6. Many soldiers love getting the mail, and they feel good knowing someone at home cares enough to drop them a line. There are several organizations that will connect you with soldiers around the world. For instance, A Million Thanks was actually started by a teenager, Shauna Fleming, to send letters, CDs, and DVDs to the troops. Other organizations that conduct letter writing campaigns are Operation Military Support and Letters From Home Program.<\/li>\n
  7. Sending a care package is a great way to show support. Simple things like sunscreen, cards, and more can make a soldier\u2019s day. You can send your own care package or offer a donation to send packages to troops. One organization that sends care packages to troops is the USO Cares Program. You can also send care packages through the Any Soldier Program, Treats for Troops, or the Soldiers Angels.<\/li>\n
  8. Volunteering your time to an organization can be very rewarding. There are plenty of organizations that need your help in supporting troops at home and overseas. The Veterans\u2019 Administration has a list of ways you can offer your time. Also, you can check with [http:\/\/usafreedomcorps.gov\/]USA Freedom Corps for more ways to volunteer.<\/li>\n
  9. You can foster a service member\u2019s pet while they are away. The Net Pets Military Pets Foster Program helps find temporary homes for all kinds of pets while their owners are away.<\/li>\n
  10. While we tend to associate the deployment of troops for war purposes, there are military service members stationed all over the world for humanitarian efforts. You can support the troops\u2019 efforts by supporting the schools and communities they are trying to assist. a The Adopt a Platoon Program can connect you with a platoon\u2019s humanitarian efforts.<\/li>\n
  11. If you and your friends have extra cell phones sitting around, you can donate those phones to Cell Phones for Soldiers.<\/li>\n
  12. It is very hard for soldiers to get special occasion cards to send home. The Cards for Soldiers Program sends homemade greeting cards to the troops so they can send them to those they love.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Crisis Resources<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Toll-free, confidential hotlines:<\/p>\n