Duty, Honor, Country: Supporting Those Who Have Served
As a nation we cherish the value of service. Few among us take this spirit to heart more than our men and women in uniform. Coming from all walks of life, they join forces to safeguard our country.
Americans are proud of their men and women in uniform and are quick to honor the sacrifices made while they are serving overseas, but too often we forget that the sacrifices do not end when they return home. More than 2.6 million U.S. military personnel, including close to one million National Guard members and Reservists, have been deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq since 2001. While they transition home, we must be mindful of the burden they carry and remember that for too many a new struggle has just begun.We must also remember the children, spouses, and parents forced to cope with their absences and to grieve their losses. While they may not have chosen to undergo such hardship, they dutifully carry the weight all the same
Areas like wellness, education, and employment pose obstacles for many veterans and military families as they return to civilian life. While many in the philanthropic community are addressing the needs and gaps in services, but there is still much more to be done. The urgency and complexity of the issues create valuable opportunities for funders to partner and coordinate across public, private, and nonprofit sectors. By working together through public-private partnerships, foundations can help to catalyze innovation and synchronize local efforts to create lasting and transformative change in the way the nation provides affordable housing, new health interventions, domestic violence, and economic opportunities for veterans and military families.
As our men and women in uniform come home, philanthropy stands beside them to help them carry their mission forward into their communities and hometowns. I am proud that the Council on Foundations has made a pledge to provide an environment for funders to work together on increasing grantmakers’ impact called the Veterans Philanthropy Exchange, anonline platform that creates a clearinghouse for philanthropic funders to share best practices and to collaborate. And we will continue our commitment to working with the government through our Federal Liaison program with the Department of Veterans Affairs to bring philanthropic perspectives and resources to assist Secretary Robert McDonalds in his efforts to reinvigorate the Department with renewed veteran-centric values and sustainable accountability.
The fortitude, bravery, and commitment veterans have shown safeguarding our country is an invaluable asset. And, for those who have returned home with needs that must be addressed, we all have a responsibility to offer them resources for a whole and happy life, so they may continue their service, as teachers and doctors, small-business owners and community leaders. With the proper support and a united community behind them, they will continue to strengthen and advance our nation.
Thank you to those who have served our country with such bravery, strength, and grace. We owe you a debt of gratitude.
