Perhaps the most powerful part of volunteering and community service is the compound effect that happens when many people combine their efforts.
A group of 20 people can get together on a Saturday morning and do more before lunch than what an individual could accomplish in a week. Not only are the results from that effort immediate, groups serving together are a power visual statement of what a community values, too.
That’s why we’re so excited for the first-ever DAV Community Impact Day coming up on April 6. Its purpose is to show on a nationwide scale what’s possible when we pool our time and talents together in service to veterans.
When you pledge your time to participate, you’re showing that “thank you for you service” is action and not just words. Please sign up and encourage others to join you as a bold demonstration of your thanks. Remember, anyone can volunteer—not just DAV members!
Veterans’ needs and service opportunities are going to vary depending on your community, so I encourage you to try and uncover and identify those needs. But if you’re stuck, here are a few ideas to consider:
- Clean up a veteran’s yard or mow their lawn
- Bring a meal and visit with a veteran who is homebound
- Help with basic home repairs
- Clean headstones at your local veterans’ cemetery
- Maintain or spruce up a local veterans’ memorial or marker
- Host a donation drive for clothing or other needed items for a veterans’ homeless shelter
- Collect items and create care packages for hospitalized veterans
Everyone has a gift or skill, and each can be used to make a difference in a veteran’s life.
DAV Community Impact Day can inspire more people to get involved with DAV year-round. The need is great, especially with our Transportation Network that provides no-cost rides to veterans who are unable to drive to their Department of Veterans Affairs medical appointments.
If driving isn’t your thing, there are dozens of other opportunities within VA medical facilities that we can connect you with. Also, many of our chapters run community service events throughout the year. Click here to find out more about those opportunities.
If you’re a student 21-years old or younger, the time you give on April 6 will help you qualify for consideration of our annual scholarships. We dedicate $110,000 each year to students who have served a minimum of 100 lifetime volunteer hours in DAV’s name. You can learn more about those scholarships here.
We look forward to seeing the photos and videos and hearing the stories about what service projects people do. And we especially can’t wait to hear how these events affect your communities. The power of combined effort not only makes that bold visual statement I mentioned earlier, it’s a catalyst for positive change.
The post Groups serving veterans together can be catalysts for community change appeared first on DAV.
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