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5 Ways to Help Military Families in Your Community

Military families often need help from their friends and neighbors. Perhaps one of your friends was recently deployed as an active service member, or maybe your neighbor’s husband is currently serving abroad. You might also have veteran friends who are trying to figure out their next steps. If you need to access helpful resources for veterans, you can turn to NEXUS. In addition, here are a few things you can do if you want to go the extra mile for military families in your area.

Help With Home Loans

Do you know any veterans who want to become homeowners? Navigating the housing market and home loan process can be tough. Thankfully, lenders do have special programs for veterans that can help them buy property more easily.

For instance, while the United States has a VA loan program that enables veterans to purchase property with no down payment or mortgage insurance, Australia has three home loan subsidy schemes for qualifying veterans. Veterans are eligible for a particular scheme based on when they served. You can help your loved one figure out which scheme they can access and set up an appointment with a lender. This will allow them to make the smartest financial decisions on their path to homeownership.

Find Medical Resources

Many veterans deal with mental health conditions or physical health issues after their service. Sometimes, they don’t know where to go in order to get the treatments they need. If you’re familiar with healthcare options for veterans, you can point your friends in the right direction. For example, you could recommend a therapist who treats PTSD, or you could talk to them about getting the appropriate compensation from the DVA for impairment or disabilities sustained during their service.

Send Care Packages

Do you know anyone who is serving overseas right now? Chances are, they would appreciate a thoughtful care package! Receiving a surprise care package can definitely brighten a soldier’s day. You don’t need to wait until the holidays to send one, either – you can put together a care package at any time. If you’re short on ideas for what to put in your care package, Soldiers’ Angels recommends sending individually wrapped snacks, toiletries, books, or DVDs. You could also include a personal note!

Offer to Babysit

Do you know anyone who is raising children while their military spouse serves outside of the country? It can be very difficult to manage childcare in a situation like this. If you have a close friend or neighbor who is raising their kids on their own while their spouse is deployed, you could offer to babysit.

Hire Veterans

Business owners can make it a point to hire veterans. Some business owners worry that hiring veterans would be risky, but military service can teach very valuable skills, and veteran employees bring a lot to the table. Vertical Scope states that many veterans possess transferable skills for various private and public sector industries, including logistics, education, and engineering. Furthermore, service members receive ongoing training throughout their time in the military, so they are continuously upskilling. Finally, veterans are accustomed to working as members of a team. They’re adept at working towards larger goals and communicating with others across different roles and departments. 

Military life brings many challenges. Whether you know a service member, military spouse, or veteran who needs help, there are plenty of ways you can lend a hand. With these tips, you can step in when you meet service members, veterans, and their families who are struggling.

Seeking resources for the veterans in your life? Find the services your loved ones need through NEXUS. Get in touch through the contact form on our website to learn more.

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