Support Military Families and Veterans This Memorial Day

For many, Memorial Day marks the start of summer, and is a day for barbeques, trips to the beach, and time with family and friends. However, the true meaning of  Memorial Day (once known as Decoration Day) is to remember the soldiers who have died in service to our country. But soldiers are not the only ones who make a sacrifice — their families often have to make sacrifices as well.

Invest in Our Troops

Organizations around the country are banding together to help our troops and their families gain the resources to meet their needs. If you’re a military member, military spouse or veteran, the Goodwill in your community can work with you to create an individualized plan to help you identify and set realistic and achievable goals. Goodwill is committed to helping military families be successful, and we provide a variety of family strengthening services. And if they can’t meet your need, they will refer you to one of their community partners that can.
GCFLearnFree, an initiative of the Goodwill Community Foundation, offers more than 750 self-paced online courses in computers, math, reading and more, that can give military families a leg-up when planning a career.  Whether at home or abroad, they can use the site to work towards advancing their careers.  Read more about online learning opportunities.

Help One Solider at a Time

Roger Brooks, once a sergeant in the Marine Corps, was able to rebuild his future with the help of  Goodwill® Easter Seals Miami Valley.  Despite battling depression and a being diagnosed as bipolar, he worked with his local agency to land a job in the janitorial department at the water treatment plant in Dayton, OH. Roger is just one of the many veterans who have received the personal assistance they needed to be successful through Goodwill.

Lend a Hand

This Memorial Day, explore how you can give back to veterans and military families in your community.   Check out volunteer opportunities to help veterans in your area on Serve.gov. With various programs to help military families, your local Goodwill may have opportunities for you to help.  Visit the volunteer section of our site to see how you can help.