At the Eisenhower Library, we invite veterans, active service personnel, and their families to submit pictures to us. We post the pictures on a wall in our Kids World department. Our Veterans’ Breakfast is a yearly event, where we invite people who have served in the U.S. Military to join us for food, coffee, and conversation.

These are just a few ways we show our appreciation, and we know from the enthusiasm of our veterans, active military service patrons, and their families that our patrons enjoy them and are touched by them. Of course, there are more ways we can help and show our appreciation throughout the year.

Homes for Our Troops and Building Homes for Heroes are both organizations that build houses for injured veterans, mortgage-free. Gets a 4-star ratings on Charity Navigator.

Volunteer with or donate to the National Coalition of Homeless Veterans.

Puppies Behind Bars trains inmates to raise puppies to be service dogs for wounded veterans and first responders. You can host an event to raise funds, sponsor a puppy, or make a donation. Gets a 4-star rating on Charity Navigator.

Sign up to drive a veteran to medical appointments. You can apply to be a volunteer by filling out a form online.

Knit or crochet a scarf for a veteran. Knit Your Bit from the National World War II Museum in New Orleans has distributed over 50,000 scarves across the country. Eisenhower’s Knitting Circle has participated.

Last summer, I said that one of the most compassionate things we can do is listen. The Veterans History Project out of the Library of Congress gives us an opportunity to do that for our veterans while contributing to our country’s historical record. This project collects firsthand interviews, narratives, and historical documents of Veterans.

Please ask us for information about these and other options. There so many ways to show our veterans that we appreciate their service.