25 Charities for Heroes That Should Be on Your Radar

It's that time again---it's the most wonderful time of the year! It's when we take the time to think about others. And it's the time when we all get into the giving spirit. When I think of giving, so many wonderful non-profits come into my mind. I decided I would share the first 25 Hero focused non-profits that came into my head with you today!

This list is not a ranking list. This list is simply a list of great non-profits that all popped into my head when I started thinking about who we would love to give donations to during this holiday season.

1. Yellow Ribbon Fund www.yellowribbonfund.org
2. Fisher House Foundation www.fisherhouse.org
3. Elizabeth Dole Foundation http://elizabethdolefoundation.org
4. America's Fund http://americasfund.org/
5. Operation Ward 57 http://www.operationward57.org/
6. Veterans Airlift Command http://www.veteransairlift.org/
7. Help Our Military Heroes http://www.helpourmilitaryheroes.org/
8. The General's Kids http://www.thegeneralskids.org/
9. Our Military Kids http://www.ourmilitarykids.org/
10. Operation Second Chance http://www.operationsecondchance.org/
11. 101st Association http://www.screamingeagle.org/
12. Semper Fi Fund http://semperfifund.org/
13. Aleethia Foundation http://www.aleethia.org/
14. Blue Star Families http://bluestarfam.org/
15. MOAA http://www.moaa.org/
16. Luke's Wings http://www.lukeswings.org/
17. National Military Family Association http://www.militaryfamily.org/
18. Code of Support http://codeofsupport.org/
19. AUSA http://www.ausa.org
20. Operation Homefront http://www.operationhomefront.net/
21. USO http://www.uso.org/
22. Cause http://www.cause-usa.org
23. Independence Fund http://www.independencefund.org/
24. Hope for the Warriors http://www.hopeforthewarriors.org/
25. Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund http://fallenheroesfund.org/

I could keep this list going. I just decided 25 was a great number to end my list. (And to be honest, I have some baking to get to today.) Our family has had direct, face to face contact with all of these organizations. Rather it be that I get to partner with them through my work at YRF, our family directly benefited from their programs or giving while we were healing, or I have sent another family to them for some type of assistance, Chaz and I proudly put our families' seal of approval on this list. 

I know what you are all thinking. Wow this list is great, I wish I could give something. Don't think you can give? Think for a second. We all have something we waste money on if not everyday at least a few days out of the month. Some of us (points finger at self) spend $5 on a cup of coffee. Some of us (points at hubby) spend money on energy drinks and computer gear that can wait. Some of us (points fingers at hubby and self) spend money on toys that will probably end up in the yard sale next spring. We all have something that we can give, we just have to figure out how we can sacrifice to make that giving possible.

November was the month to be thankful. Make December the month to think about your blessings and pay them forward. Any of these non-profits would be happy to take your $5 that you would have spent on that coffee. It may just be $5 to you, but for those of us in the non-profit community that $5 adds up quickly. That $5 can be turned into a blessing for a Hero's family.