5 MILITARY THANKSGIVING RESOURCES TO CHECK OUT

Wanting to wish a happy Thanksgiving to our military? Many military families struggle with food insecurity; one of the best ways to give back to our troops is through food, especially for a big food holiday like Thanksgiving. We’ve got some of the best resources here for you to check out for a great military Thanksgiving; keep reading to learn more about them!

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There are dozens of programs out there to help military families with Thanksgiving. Many of these organizations can help you give a Thanksgiving care package or food to those who need it; military families can struggle to provide around the holidays, so here are our top five Thanksgiving for military resources.

1. Operation Homefront

Operation Homefront is dedicated to helping military members, both retired and active, get the assistance that they need with food, housing, and more. With their Holiday Meals for Military Families program, Operation Homefront helps military members, families, and Veterans find the resources for their holiday meals. If you’re looking to become an Operation Homefront volunteer, click here. If you’re in need of assistance this holiday season, don’t be afraid to reach out to Operation Homefront for help.

2. Military Family Advisory Network

Like Operation Homefront, the Military Family Advisory Network helps combat military family food insecurity. They can also give help with things like PCSing, finances, employment, and more. There are several ways to get involved with Military Family Advisory Network; you can donate money to their organization or use their MILMAP to find local organizations where you can volunteer. Regardless of how you want to support our troops and help them have a happy military Thanksgiving, Military Family Advisory Network has something available for you.

3. Military Friends Foundation

The Military Friends Foundation might not be a very well-known organization, but it’s still fantastic. Located in Massachusetts, this organization offers several grant programs for those who’ve faced challenges due to military service. They offer a “Hero Meals” service every Thanksgiving for Massachusetts Veterans and military families. You can receive a grocery gift card and a food box from them. You can also donate to this organization on their website.

4. Soldiers’ Angels

Soldiers’ Angels provides support to military members, families, and Veterans. They help military members who are deployed or were wounded in combat, as well as Veterans and military families. They have several food campaigns, including Treats for Troops and Holiday Adopt-A-Family. There are also several ways to volunteer with Soldiers' Angels; you can volunteer online or in person, you can donate to their cause, and you can volunteer to feed Veterans. No matter what kind of service opportunities you’re looking for this Thanksgiving, Soldiers’ Angels has something for you.

5. The Armed Services YMCA

Like many other non-profit military organizations, the Armed Services YMCA provides military families, YMCA members, and Veterans with a wide variety of assistance. Their main focus, however, is on food assistance and benefiting the children of military families. You can find your local YMCA to volunteer at here.

Quotes for Thanksgiving

For all those out there who can’t afford to make a donation or don’t have the time to volunteer, we have some happy Thanksgiving military quotes for you to share. If you don’t want to share these, just a simple “thank you for your service; happy Thanksgiving” will suffice for many. But if you’re in the giving mood, here are some that you can share:

1. President Obama

This quote from former President Obama was from his Thanksgiving speech in 2011. He describes Thanksgiving as a time to be grateful for what we have and what others have given us and to reach out to those who may be in need of our help. “And let's think about those who can't spend the holiday with their loved ones, especially the members of our military serving overseas. I'd like to thank all our men and women in uniform and their families for their incredible service and devotion.”

2. President Truman

In a broadcast to the Armed forces, former President Harry Truman thanked the military for their selfless service. This is a great quote to show your gratitude for our troops this Thanksgiving. “Our debt to the heroic men and valiant women in the service of our country can never be repaid. They have earned our undying gratitude. America will never forget their sacrifices. Because of these sacrifices, the dawn of justice and freedom throughout the world slowly casts its gleam across the horizon.”

A Deployed Military Thanksgiving

What about troops who are deployed on Thanksgiving day? Does the military get Thanksgiving off? The answer to this question is yes and no. It depends on your chain of command and the federal and training holidays, but for the most part, the military does get Thanksgiving off. For those who are deployed on Thanksgiving, the Defense Logistics Agency usually provides traditional Thanksgiving day meals to our troops. This tradition from the DLA has been going on for over 50 years, and many troops across the world are grateful for that little “taste of home” on Thanksgiving day. Donating to or volunteering with any one of these military Thanksgiving organizations will create a happy Thanksgiving; military families across the nation will be blessed by your efforts. Gratitude is the theme of the season, so don’t be afraid to reach out to local organizations to find ways to volunteer for our troops. Even if you can’t donate time or money, you can still share a quote or two to express your gratitude for them this Thanksgiving.

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The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement. Photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Jamin Gordon USS GEORGE WASHINGTON (CVN 73)