Veterans Charities: Find Help and Support Those Who Serve

If you need help right now

Veterans Crisis Line: dial 988 then press 1, text 838255, or chat online at VeteransCrisisLine.net (opens in a new tab). It's free, confidential and open 24/7 for veterans, service members, National Guard and Reserve members, and the people who support them. You don't have to be enrolled in VA benefits or health care to call.

Start with VA and your state veterans office

• VA.gov: the VA resources and support (opens in a new tab) hub answers common questions, and Find VA locations (opens in a new tab) lists facilities near you.
• Housing help: VA's homeless programs (opens in a new tab) help veterans who are homeless or at risk of losing their housing.
• State veterans affairs offices: every state has its own veterans agency with state benefits and local help. VA keeps a directory of state veterans affairs offices (opens in a new tab), and the National Association of State Directors of Veterans Affairs (NASDVA) (opens in a new tab) brings those state directors together.
• Service members and families: Military OneSource (opens in a new tab) is the Defense Department's resource for service members and their families.

Help with bills and emergencies

• Operation Homefront: its Critical Financial Assistance Program (opens in a new tab) provides short-term financial help for military families facing hardship, including overdue bills, home repairs and other critical family needs. You apply through its online portal.
• VFW: the Financial Assistance for Service Members (opens in a new tab) program gives grants of up to $2,500 (not loans) to active-duty service members, including activated Guard and Reserve members, and their families who hit unexpected money trouble because of deployment or other military-related activity or injury. The VFW pays creditors directly.
• The American Legion: Temporary Financial Assistance (opens in a new tab) offers one-time cash grants of up to $2,500 for the minor children of active-duty service members and American Legion members, to help with shelter, food, utilities and health costs. Requests start at your local Legion post or state department.
• DAV: DAV (opens in a new tab) offers free help to veterans and their families, including help filing for VA benefits, free rides to VA medical appointments, career fairs, and local volunteers who can connect you to emergency grants and other assistance.
• Hope For The Warriors: its programs (opens in a new tab) include Critical Needs support (financial education, resource referrals and, when eligible, financial support) and Warrior's Compass career coaching.
• Semper Fi & America's Fund: The Fund (opens in a new tab) provides one-on-one case management and direct financial assistance for critically wounded, ill and injured service members, veterans and military families from all branches.

Housing, home repair and disaster help

• Fisher House Foundation: Fisher Houses (opens in a new tab) give families a place to stay near VA and military medical centers while a loved one gets care, and Fisher House says there is never a charge to stay. Its Hero Miles (opens in a new tab) program uses donated frequent flyer miles to fly family members to an authorized medical center.
• Habitat for Humanity Veterans Build: Veterans Build (opens in a new tab) offers volunteer, homeownership and job opportunities to veterans, service members and their families. Its Repair Corps program (opens in a new tab), funded by The Home Depot Foundation, does critical home repairs for veteran homeowners at participating local affiliates.
• Team Rubicon: Team Rubicon (opens in a new tab) responds to disasters across the U.S. and says its support is free of charge to disaster survivors. Veterans and civilians can also volunteer as Greyshirts (opens in a new tab).

Support and connection for military families

• USO: the USO's programs (opens in a new tab) include airport centers, care packages, free education and credential support, employment support, financial wellness resources and baby showers for military families. Find a USO location (opens in a new tab).

Career and business help for veterans

• Bunker Labs and IVMF: Bunker Labs joined Syracuse University's D'Aniello Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF) in 2024, and its programs continue there. IVMF's entrepreneurship programs (opens in a new tab) serve veterans, transitioning service members and military spouses at every business stage.
• Boots to Business: the SBA's Boots to Business (opens in a new tab) course is part of the military's Transition Assistance Program and introduces separating service members and spouses to starting a business.
• More free business help: our Veteran Entrepreneurship page covers Veterans Business Outreach Centers, VetCert and other SBA programs.

Veteran business communities

[Veterans Helping Veterans In Business](https://www.facebook.com/veteranshelpingveteransinbusiness) is our Facebook community, created as a place where veterans support each other in business. Follow along for tips and connections, and say hello.

Local veterans service organizations, chambers of commerce and Veterans Business Outreach Centers often host meetups too. Ask your state veterans affairs office what's near you.

How to choose and give to a veterans charity wisely

Most veterans charities do good work, but scammers use the cause too. The FTC warns about vague, sentimental claims with no specifics about how your donation will be used, and about names that sound a lot like real charities.

• Research first. Search the charity's name plus "complaint," "review" or "scam," and read its ratings on Charity Navigator (opens in a new tab) or BBB Wise Giving Alliance (opens in a new tab).
• Confirm it's tax exempt. Look it up in the IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search (opens in a new tab) if a tax deduction matters to you.
• Check state registration. Most states require charities and fundraisers to register. Find your state charity regulator at NASCO (opens in a new tab).
• Never give by gift card, wire transfer, crypto or payment app. The FTC says a charity that only takes those is likely a scam. A credit card or check is safer.
• Give directly. Go to the charity's own website instead of clicking a link in a text, email or social media post. Don't trust caller ID.
• Report problems at ReportFraud.ftc.gov (opens in a new tab) and to your state charity regulator. See the FTC's full guide, Before Giving to a Charity (opens in a new tab).

For veterans charities: reach people looking for help

People come to ForLowerBills looking for ways to lower their bills and find help, and veterans and military families are a big part of who we serve. If your organization helps veterans, service members or their families with bills, housing, food, emergencies, careers or business, we'd like to hear from you. Your ad can reach potential donors, volunteers and people who need your services.

Registered charitable nonprofits of any cause can get a free Basic Listing ad on ForLowerBills. Get your free nonprofit ad. Questions first? Use our contact form or email hello@forlowerbills.com (opens in a new tab).