We at Disabled Veterans National Foundation believe that everyone deserves a warm, safe home for the holidays. Time is running out and there are only 19 days left to help bring our heroes home this holiday season. With nearly 40,000 troops returning from war in the coming months and 75,000 veterans already homeless on any given night, the need to give back to our nation's heroes has never been greater.

Here are two ways you can help:

• Make a personal donation at www.dvnf.org
• Start your FREE personal fundraising page.  Ask friends and family to join you in honor of the veterans and troops in need. Kick this off by making a donation to your own fundraising page and encourage 12 friends to join you by donating $20 each to ring in 2012.

By activating your fundraising page, you have the ability to...

• Show our veterans and troops your gratitude for their selfless commitment to our nation
• Help our cause through your networks
• Create teams and make fundraising fun
• Become a valued DVNF ambassador

Stay Connected

We  are reminded at this time of year, as the Holidays are quickly approaching, of the amazing impact ‘helping a veteran' can have on the person who needs help and on those who give. We are so grateful to our many supporters, partners and donors who have made 2011 such a big year for our programs and missions at DVNF. This has been a very successful year for us in terms of our growth and ability to help so many Veterans and Veteran services organizations around the country. But it is stories like this one from Bruce N., an Army Veteran that means the world to us and reminds us every day about the critical role the DVNF plays in helping our nation's heroes. Read his story here:

Life after military service is often a strenuous transition, especially when entering the workforce. Bruce, a combat veteran of the Army, made the transition effectively during a strong economic bubble, but when that bubble burst, things began to sour. He lost his job and entered a new combat zone –finding employment.

"I had an interview with a bank. I thought the interview went well and since I was referred by an employee that I used to work with, I thought I had a good possibility of getting the job," said Bruce. Unfortunately, that interview coincided with Standard & Poor's downgrading the U.S. credit rating, which resulted in a hiring freeze. Bruce was now faced with a financial crisis of his own, and that's when he turned to DVNF.
"Words cannot express the depth of my gratitude to everyone at the Disabled Veterans National Foundation. When I opened your letter that said you had granted my request for assistance –I was moved to tears…I've got to tell you, it takes a lot to touch a combat Vet right in the heart like that!"

DVNF provided Bruce with a grant to help him make a mortgage payment until he was able to find a roommate to help negate the costs.

Last month marked DVNF's inaugural "Veteran's Appreciation Day" program. The aim of the program was to honor and thank our veterans by giving up to $2,000 to veteran services groups around the country so that they could host their own Veteran's Appreciation Day. We are proud to have awarded over $14,000 to support 8 events in 7 different cities in just our first year of this program. With this grant almost 3,000 veterans were able to celebrate 11-11-11 in a special way. Here is just one thank you we received from one of these events held in Ohio:

"I would like to thank Disabled Veterans National Foundation for their support of Volunteers of America of Greater Ohio's Veteran's Day Dinner with a $2,000 grant," said Nicole Knowlton, Vice President of Development and Communications. The VOA of Greater Ohio hosted a Veteran's Day dinner for its veterans domiciliary, a brand new facility that provides shelter for 122 male and female homeless veterans."

Finally we urge you all to spread the good word on our Scholarship Program. We are awarding 50 $1,000 Scholarships to disabled veterans to help them continue their education outside of the military. To learn more on our Scholarship Program and our other Programs go to www.dvnf.org and Click Veterans Programs.