The impact that nonprofits make in the veteran world cannot be overstated. The US is dotted with passionate, effective groups that routinely change lives and families. Though our list here does not encompass all the wonderful organizations and initiatives available to veterans, we find that these are trusted, highly rated, and successful.
We are not affiliated with these groups, but we strongly believe in supporting those who support veterans. Together, we can improve the lives of our service men and women and hopefully, end veteran suicide.
This list will continue to grow. To have your organization added to the list, please email info@warriorsresearch.org.
Find a Service Dog Provider:
To find a service dog provider that will fit your needs, we recommend visiting the Assistance Dogs Internation website. Assistance Dogs International (ADI) is a group which maintains excellence in the service dog world. Any ADI service dog program must follow strict rules and guidelines, ensuring that you recieve a top notch dog. Use their member and organization filter here to find the program that best fits you.
Legal Services:
National Veterans Legal Services:
The National Veterans Legal Services organization is a nonprofit working to ensure that our veterans get the benefits they are entitled to since 1981. Originally set up in the 70's as a resource for servicemen disconnected from the military for other-than-honorable discharges, their work has helped enforce a fair and transparent system. They have broadened their scope of work since then, and now help veterans in a variety of situations. Having helped veterans receive more than 5.2 billion dollars in rightful benefits, they are incredibly effective.
Jacksonville Area Legal Aid:
The Veterans Legal Services Unit at Jacksonville Area Legal Aid (JALA) serves veterans in Northeast Florida who cannot afford to hire an attorney. This unit hopes to help 125 veterans per year and is led by Declan Duffy, an Iraq veteran who served in the Army’s 101st Airborne Division. JALA’s Veterans Legal Services Unit is connected to a statewide initiative called the Florida Veterans Legal Helpline which is open to all veterans in the state and is funded through the Florida Department of Veterans Affairs. The money supporting these programs is the first state funding for civil legal aid approved by our state legislature, signifying Florida’s recognition of the needs of our veterans and their valuable contribution to our society.
Legal Advocacy Groups:
Justice For Vets has helped establish over 250 veterans treatment courts and trained over 3,000 court staff. In addition, Justice For Vets has conducted 40 volunteer veteran mentor boot camp training, serving thousands of veteran mentors. Their mission states:
"...we keep veterans out of jail and prison—preventing the loss of one of our nation’s greatest assets to our families and communities—and connect them with the benefits and treatment they have earned, all while saving tax dollars for the American public."
They provide training and technical assistance to bring our nation together to help our veterans with mental health disorders and substance abuse.
Transport Services:
Fisher House Foundation
Fisher House Foundation builds homes around military and VA medical facilities all around the world for military families to stay at while a loved one is in the hospital. This organization also provides a program called the Hero Miles Program, which allows people to donate frequent flier miles to veterans who need them. They also run a program called Hotels For Heroes, which allows people to donate hotel points so military families can be at the bedside of their sick family member.
Veteran’s Airlift Command
This organization provides free air transportation to post 9/11 combat wounded and their families for medical and other compassionate purposes through a national network of volunteer aircraft owners and pilots.
Social Services:
Hire Heroes USA
Hire Heroes USA helps transitioning servicemembers and their spouses find employment. With 80% of transitioning servicemembers not having a job lined up after being discharged, this nonprofit helps veterans find the perfect job for them. Their mission states: "When heroes get hired, companies prosper and America grows stronger." From inteview and resume help, to job fairs and training, this organization has a wide range of services.
Cell Phones For Soldiers is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to providing cost-free communication services and emergency funding to active-duty military members and veterans.
Train Our Troops provides veterans and their spouses with online training and certification in business solutions to give them a competitive advantage in the civilian marketplace.
FIX’D Inc. Veteran Transition Services
FIX'D Inc. provides accredited life coaching and peer support to veterans fighting through physical and mental obstacles. Trying to bridge the gap of the VA's long wait times for treatment, FIX'D is an organization made up of peers, health care professionals, and volunteers.
Family Services:
Operation Homefront
Operation Homefront is dedicated to supporting military families in the communities they sacrificed to protect. They offer a wide range of services such as; critical financial assistance, transitional and permanent housing assistance, cargiver services, holiday meals, school supplies, academic scholarships, new and expectant mother services, and more.
Our Military Kids provides children with parents recovering from health issues connected to their service with art programs, sports programs, and more.
Housing Services:
The VASH program provide rental assistance to eligible homeless veterans and their families. This program has granted housing to 10,000 veteran families in 2018.
Homeless Veteran Reintegration Program
The Homeless Veterans' Reintegration Program1 (HVRP) is an employment focused competitive grant program of the Department of Labor, Veterans' Employment and Training Service (DOL-VETS), the only federal grant to focus exclusively on competitive employment for homeless veterans.
National Coalition for Homeless Veterans
The National Coalition for Homeless Veterans manages a referral helpline for veterans experiencing or are at-risk of homelessness. They run a resource and technical assistance center for a national network of community-based service providers that provide housing, employment services, case management, legal aid, and other supportive services to thousands of veterans experiencing or at-risk of homelessness each year.
Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America
Provides advocacy of veteran issues and veteran services. They provide referrals through a well-connected pipeline, for issues such as; Disability Claims, Education Benefits, For-Profit School counseling, Mental Health, Financial Assistance, Legal Services, Employment Services, Housing Services, and Public Benefits.
Volunteers for American has hundreds of human service programs, which helps more than 1.5 million people in 46 states. They offer housing servies as well as many other servies for veterans and their families.
Mental Health Services:
Provides free mental health care to veterans and their families by using a network of volunteer professionals like doctors, clinicians, and counelsors.
Provides PTSD educationa and support to veterans and caregivers alike.
The 22 Warriors Foundation provides a myriad of services to help veterans with mental health issues. They offer help with finding equine therapy programs, martial arts programs, service dog programs, food services for those in need, and more.
Make a Vet Sweat offers its services in TX only, but is working on scaling their program to other states. They sponsor applicants at their local gyms for three month periods to sweat out the toxins of PTSD with others struggling. Using the idea that exercise stimulates endorphins, they hope to make a positive impact of veteran mental health through physical activity.
Lone Survivor Foundation offer workshops for veterans to learn coping skills and theraputic tools to help veterans deal with invisible illnesses like PTSD. From 2010 to 2018, this organization has 25,200 hours of no-cost therapeutic services to 1200 veterans and family members.
Iron Therapy Inc's mission is to provide a means to help veterans cope with psychological and emotional issues through physical fitness training by providing veterans with access to gyms and fitness centers as well as a channel to connect with other veterans with similar goals.
Animal Services:
Kingman's Healing Hooves provides equine therapy for veterans suffering from PTSD. The offer partial and full scholarships for veterans in need.
Located in Montana, Horses and Heroes provides a 6 day training course and 8 day trek into the backcountry in a way to connect with nature, yourself, and peers. Horses and Heroes is an all male program. For an all female equine program, visit The Serenity Ranch.