Best Veteran Charities: All About Trusted Veteran Nonprofits

Veterans have given years of service to protect our country, risking their lives and often sacrificing their physical and mental health. When you think about how much we owe our ex-military, it’s natural to ask, “How can I give back?”

Veteran support organizations provide a secure, vetted, and tax-recognized way to show our appreciation to former service members. Below is an overview of the best veteran charities to consider if you’re planning to donate.

The Importance of Supporting Veterans Through Charitable Organizations

Although retired military personnel qualify for various benefits, charitable organizations are still important to veteran welfare. The best nonprofits for military veterans often step in and provide what the VA won’t cover. Nonprofits may also get involved with veterans applying for VA disability benefits.

For example, some charities provide veterans with trained service dogs, something that’s out of the VA’s scope. A service animal can be a life-changer for many ex-military who deal with vision or mobility issues or struggle with PTSD.

When you donate to leading veteran assistance charities, you know you’re helping positively impact veterans’ lives. These brave men and women deserve your support.

Best Charities That Support Veterans

There are many highly-rated charities for veterans across the country. Listing them all would be impossible, but here are nine of the best veteran charities in the U.S.

National Veterans Foundation

The National Veterans Foundation (NVF) is a nonprofit serving veterans and their families. Originally established in 1985 as the Vietnam Veterans Aid Foundation, this organization runs the well-known Lifeline for Vets, an all-encompassing, fast-response resource for veterans. Easy Donation Pickup is proud to be part of the NVF’s efforts.

When veterans call the Lifeline for Vets, they can talk to counselors who have access to extensive local, state, and national databases. The hotline assists with a wide range of problems veterans face, from applying for VA benefits to housing, employment, transportation, family issues, and beyond. The counselors work hard to connect veterans with appropriate facilities and resources and follow up with vets who call the lifeline.

Disabled American Veterans (DAV)

Established over a century ago to help World War I veterans, DAV assists over a million veterans and their families each year.

Disabled American Veterans help ex-military personnel access VA benefits. It also runs a fleet of volunteer-driven vans that give veterans rides to medical facilities. Its employment programs are a valuable resource that help veterans and their families find career opportunities. Finally, its Transition Service Officers counsel service members preparing for discharge and needing help adjusting to civilian life.

Fisher House Foundation

Fisher House Foundation is a nonprofit with a targeted mission: to provide comfortable “homes away from home” for families of service personnel and veterans receiving care in military or VA medical facilities.

When a veteran undergoes medical care in a location far away from home, it’s often a major financial and logistic hurdle for families who need transportation and lodging. Fisher House Foundation resolves this problem by funding plane tickets and hotels. They also offer cozy suites for families at military and VA medical centers. The charity has served over 450,000 families since its establishment in 1990. Fisher House Foundation also has a grant program for military and veteran spouses and children.

Wounded Warrior Project

Established in 2003 as a charity supplying food and clothing donations to newly discharged veterans, the Wounded Warrior Project quickly expanded its scope. Today, the nonprofit provides financial assistance, help with career transition, advice on claiming VA benefits, caregiving, and mental health services to wounded veterans.

The Wounded Warrior Project’s main mission is to help veterans enhance their quality of life and gain financial independence. As of 2022, the organization has invested $247M in assistance to veterans and given over 50,000 treatment hours to veterans struggling with TBIs, PTSD, and substance abuse.

Homes for Our Troops

Homes for Our Troops provides injured veterans with custom homes, helping families avoid renting and mortgages and gain financial security. The charity targets post-9/11 injured ex-military personnel who need disability-adapted homes with features like wide doorways and roll-in showers.

Any help from Home for Our Troops is 100% free for qualifying veterans. The organization also provides education on homeownership and finances so veterans know how to plan for affordable home maintenance. So far, Homes for Our Troops has constructed over 350 disability-compatible homes across the U.S.

Gary Sinise Foundation

Founded in 2011, the Gary Sinise Foundation started by running concerts and events to fundraise for veterans. Today, the foundation provides injured veterans with adapted housing and vehicles. It also gives financial support to fallen soldiers’ families.

The charity’s R.I.S.E. program constructs smart homes and modifies existing homes to accommodate disabled veterans. Meanwhile, its H.O.P.E. initiative provides help with ongoing expenses like groceries and utility bills. The foundation also runs social events and concerts in honor of service members.

USO (United Service Organizations)

The USO has supported active service members and their families since 1941. This well-known nonprofit spans over 135 locations in the U.S. and worldwide. It provides housing assistance, crisis support and counseling, nursery facilities, free internet access, care packages, and more.

Although the USO focuses on active service members rather than veterans, it provides invaluable help to active-duty personnel preparing for discharge. The organization helps transitioning service members prepare for the future, connect with local community resources, and map out professional and personal goals. The USO holds events and workshops where military personnel, veterans, and their spouses can network.

Semper Fi & America’s Fund

Started in 2003 as an initiative of military spouses, Semper Fi & America’s Fund offers various programs to help veterans move on from military to civilian life. Their initiatives provide financial help, education, career support, physical therapy, and mental healthcare.

The fund helps veterans cover various costs, from bedside support to housing, transportation, and school fees. It also provides natural disaster relief to veterans who shoulder home repair, rent, and other costs after extreme weather events.

To date, Semper Fi & America’s Fund has served over 30,000 active service members, veterans, and their family members. It’s one of the most widely acknowledged veteran charities in the U.S., with an A+ rating on CharityWatch and a Platinum Seal of Transparency.

Puppies Behind Bars

Puppies Behind Bars (PBB) is a unique charity that involves prison inmates. Under the program, incarcerated people in correctional facilities across New York and New Jersey learn how to raise and train service dogs. The puppies live with the prison inmates from eight weeks until approximately two years of age. When the service dogs are ready for placement, the nonprofit matches them with injured veterans.

The trained puppies become valuable service animals who help veterans cope with TBI and PTSD. Meanwhile, incarcerated individuals gain the satisfaction of doing something worthwhile for others, which helps their social rehabilitation. Since 2008, Puppies Behind Bars trained hundreds of explosive-detection and service dogs.

What Types of Support Do Veteran Charities Offer?

Different organizations offer all types of support for veterans, from direct financial assistance to resolving housing and transportation needs. Charities may help ex-military personnel find employment opportunities, fund mental health care, provide grief counseling, and ease veterans’ transition to civilian life.

Some charities even sponsor vacations for veterans and their families. You can look up each charity and find out what it offers before deciding to make a donation.

Are There Veteran Charities That Focus on Specific Issues?

Some veteran-oriented charity organizations have a broad scope, while others focus on narrower goals. If you want to promote a specific cause, you’re almost sure to find a charity that matches your vision.

For example, K9s For Warriors rescues, trains, and connects shelter dogs to veterans with TBIs and PTSD. An organization called VetsInTech provides cybersecurity, data science, and web development courses for veterans and assists veterans with applying to tech jobs. The Veteran Spouse Network (VSN) provides resources and emotional support for veterans’ life partners.

How Are Veterans Charities Evaluated?

When you consider donating to a charity, you’ll want to ensure your money supports a good cause. You may have heard tales of scams that masquerade as charities or of nonprofits that waste funds on lavish salaries and various extras that have little to do with helping veterans.

Top-rated veteran charities will guarantee that as much of the donation pool as possible goes directly to veterans. If you aren’t sure which nonprofit to choose for your contribution, check out the following points.

Transparency

You can count on the most recommended charities for veterans to be transparent about their goals and work processes. Their websites will describe their missions, whom they support, and how they use donations. If they don’t, move on to one that does.

Financial Accountability

Every organization needs money to function. Honest charities may use donation money to pay salaries, lease office space, and run promotional campaigns, but they’ll keep their expenses reasonable and do their best to use most of their funds to support veterans. You can check a nonprofit’s donations and expenses by looking up their Form 990 online.

Impact and Programs

Check out the organization’s goals. Does its mission resonate with you as important? Do its programs seem to make a real difference in veterans’ lives? The best veteran charities usually generate plenty of feedback from veterans and their families who’ve received assistance through the organization.

What Are Various Ways Individuals Can Contribute?

If you want to support veterans, donating is one obvious step. However, you can also promote veteran charities in other ways.

Fundraise

Fundraising is the lifeblood of charities. Encouraging others to donate can make a much bigger impact than an individual contribution. There are many creative ways to fundraise for veteran nonprofits, like grocery store fundraisers, charity auctions and events, and crowdfunding.

Volunteer

Depending on your skill set and the program you work with, you may get the chance to volunteer directly with veterans. The possibilities are endless, from helping disabled veterans with shopping and errands to providing professional counseling or mentorship free of charge.

Spread awareness

Raising awareness is one of the biggest challenges for many veteran nonprofits. You can help by sharing the charity’s mission and programs with others.

How Can People Contribute to Spreading Awareness About Veteran Issues?

Many veterans face a lifelong, silent struggle with severe physical and mental trauma. In 2020 alone, over 6,000 veterans committed suicide. Raising awareness can help fight this heartbreaking trend.

Today, social media is the number one channel for spreading awareness. Use your Facebook, Instagram, and other social media channels to spotlight veterans and their challenges and encourage them to seek help.

Don’t limit your activity to Memorial Day or Veterans Day; rather, be a constant voice supporting veterans. You can make your content more actionable by recommending nonprofits for your audience to support.

How To Know If a Veteran Charity Is Legitimate

The best veteran charities are easy to check and vet. You can use tools like CharityWatch and Charity Navigator to confirm that a nonprofit is legitimate. These resources grade charities based on factors like how much they spend on programs vs. overhead costs.

Keep in mind that CharityWatch and other directories may not list all nonprofits. If you consider donating to a charity that doesn’t appear in the database, look at its website. A legitimate charity always provides clear, transparent information about its mission and finances. If the organization doesn’t specify what it does or you can’t verify how it spends its money, it may be a scam.

Finally, if you get a call from an unfamiliar nonprofit, it’s better not to donate right away. First, check out the charity’s work and look it up to ensure it’s legit. You can always donate later.

What Percentage of Donations Typically Goes Directly to Veterans in Need?

All charities have legitimate expenses, like salaries and office space. However, if you run well-known, reputable nonprofits through tools like CharityWatch, you’ll typically see that more than 80% of their funds go directly toward helping veterans. For example, the data for Homes for Our Troops shows that they spend 83% on programs.

Also, check the nonprofit’s fundraising efficiency (i.e., how much money they spend to raise donations). Beware of donating to charities about which you can’t find enough information and which don’t specify where their money goes. Be especially careful with newly established nonprofits.

Are There Tax Benefits Associated With Donations to Veteran Charities?

Donations to legitimate charity organizations are usually tax deductible. Therefore, when donating to the best veteran charities, you may be able to reduce your taxable income. Your Schedule A of Form 1040 will need to include itemized deductions.

Keep in mind that there’s a limit on deductions based on your adjusted gross income (AGI). You should always work with a trusted CPA to ensure your tax documentation follows IRS guidelines.

Support Veterans With Easy Donation Pickup

The best veteran charities make it simple to support ex-military personnel. With Easy Donation Pickup, you can give back to veterans by donating used household items in good condition. We accept clothing, electronics, kitchen appliances, and more. Simply pack your items and schedule a no-hassle pickup in Los Angeles or Orange County, CA.