Out of Gratitude to Our U.S. Servicepeople - Resources To Support, Cheer Up, Hire, and Help Them and Their Loved Ones

Want to cheer up, hire, or assist, service men and women currently serving the United States, or veterans or their loved ones at home; or are you a veteran returning to the work force?  Here are some resources:

To Cheer Up Or Support Those Currently Serving Our Nation and Their Loved Ones:

Support Our Troops - a nonprofit enabling the public to send care packages to U.S. service men and women, offers other programs such as Find-A-Group - a database that allows the public to find out what organization support the troops and their families, and you may donate if you wish to.

USO - a private nonprofit chartered by Congress, the United Service Organizations provides not only entertainment to the troops, overseas, as we all know; but more.  There are a variety of services and programs supporting our troops but their loved ones back home, including care package programs, free phone cards for service people and their families, and much much more.




For Veterans and Their Loved Ones:

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

Joining Forces - a White House initiative's website that provides veterans' employment resources and other veterans' and military spouse resources and support.

Veterans Crisis Line - a website providing a helpline for "confidential veterans" assistance from the Department of Veteran Affairs, resources for veterans having difficulties with depression or contemplating suicide, and resources for the loved ones of veterans facing crisis.

National Alliance On Mental Illness's Veterans and Suicide web page lists both government and private (non-government) resources available to both veterans and their loved ones who are dealing with a vet's depression, suicidal thoughts, or other mental health and wellness issues.



For U.S. Employers Wishing to Hiring United States Service Men and Women, (and for U.S. Veterans Returning to the Workforce specifically see the Society for Human Resource Management's link, below):

U.S. Small Business Association's Veterans web page providing information on the federal programs that encourage small business employers to hire U.S. veterans and what each program's benefits, requirements, etc. are.

Society for Human Resource Management's Military Employment Resource page, online, provides resources for veterans returning to the workplace (such as what rights they have according to the law, etc.), resources for employers: hiring tool kits, federal contractors lists, how to work through communication issues with hired veterans, best practices, and more.

Grants for Nonprofits Providing Housing to U.S. Veterans

From The Foundation Center...

[This grant is available to registered 501(c)(3) groups to apply for (not individual people).  The community groups that receive the grant will use the money to house U.S. service people.  If you are interested in more information on this grant opportunity, click "Link to Complete RFP" at the end of this blog post for more information]

"Deadline: October 12, 2012

"Home Depot Foundation Offers Grants to Support the Housing Needs of Military Veterans

"As part of its Celebration of Service initiative to ensure that every United States military veteran has a safe place to call home, the Home Depot Foundation is inviting community groups to apply for a Celebration of Service grant through the Community Impact Grants Program.

"Grant proposals must specifically identify service projects that benefit veterans.

"Community Impact Grants support a range of activities, including repairs, refurbishments, and modifications to low-income and/or transitional veteran's housing or community facilities; weatherizing or projects designed to increase the energy efficiency of low-income and/or transitional veterans' housing or community facilities; and planting trees or community gardens and/or landscaping community facilities that serve veterans. Grants must support work completed by community volunteers in the U.S.

"Only registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations, tax-exempt public schools, and tax- exempt public agencies in the U.S. are eligible to apply.

"Grants of up to $5,000 will be provided in the form of Home Depot gift cards for the purchase of tools, materials, or services.

"Complete program guidelines and the online grant application are available at the Home Depot Foundation Web site."

Contact:
Link to Complete RFP

Credit for For-Profit or Nonprofit Organizations That Hire U.S. Veterans

Will your nonprofit organization or for-profit business be hiring new employees soon?

The Veterans Opportunity to Work (VOW) To Hire Heroes Act of 2011 will provide either nonprofit or for-profit employers with a tax credit (going against the employer's share of the employee's social security tax) for any qualified veterans newly employed on or after January 1, 2013.

Only nonprofit organizations that hired a veteran employee who began work on or after November 22, 2011, and before January 1, 2013 may claim this tax credit for this earlier time period (in addition to being able to claim it for qualified new veteran employees employed after January 1, 2013, as stated).

To be clear, any new qualified employee veteran employed as of and after January 1, 2013 by either a for-profit or nonprofit entity (as defined by the United States Internal Revenue Service (IRS)) can claim this tax credit.

For either for-profit or nonprofit organizations' requirements necessary in order to be able to claim this credit and more information, see the IRS's Expanded Work Opportunity Tax Credit Available for Hiring Qualified Veterans web page.

Hire a United States veteran!