How V Teamers gave back this Military Appreciation Month.

This Military Appreciation Month has taken on a new meaning this year with many veterans, active-duty military, reservists and guardsmen also serving on the front lines of COVID-19. There's no better way to show our respect for their service than to honor them by giving back.

Here’s a look at some of the virtual volunteer activities our team participated in to directly give back to veterans and the military, assisting and honoring the greater military community this month.

Carry the Load to walk in honor of those who served.
Throughout the month, our veteran employee resource group Verizon VALOR, which supports year-round volunteer opportunities for V Teamers, partnered with Carry the Load to invite V Teamers to join a one-hour virtual walk at a time and place of their choosing. V Teamers were able to walk on their own or ask family members to join. Some even synchronized walks with colleagues to infuse a sense of team spirit during the new work-from-home normal. 

Over 16,000 V Teamers volunteered in Carry the Load, honoring those who serve, including the brave men and women who are working around-the-clock to curb the impact of COVID-19.

Documenting history through the American Soldier Project.
Imagine you had access to real written reflections from World War II soldiers, and your job was to help capture that content and make it available to scholars and the public? Well, that’s exactly what some V Teamers did this month, volunteering to bring the experiences of WWII soldiers to life by transcribing a collection of surveys.

Sending letters and care packages to veterans.
There are over 50 VA nursing homes in the U.S. providing care to elderly veterans. COVID-19 has forced many of these facilities to go on lockdown, restricting even loved ones from visiting. To help combat feelings of isolation and loneliness, our team wrote letters and mailed them to a state veteran home of their choosing. 

We also partnered with Operation Gratitude, a nonprofit that delivers millions of care packages and a bundle of letters to the military community. Our team got involved by writing letters to members of the military community, from recruit basic training graduates and long-serving active-duty members to wounded heroes and their caregivers.

Make a no-sew blanket for a veteran.
Throughout the pandemic, many V Teamers came to the aid of healthcare workers by sewing face masks. Bringing out their crafting skills once more, our team created no-sew blankets for homeless veterans who have been diagnosed with COVID-19 and are currently quarantining in temporary housing.

Verizon military apparel.
As a way to give back to veterans, we partnered with Call For Fire (CFF), a veteran-owned and operated business, to launch new apparel that supports a great cause. Since launching the products earlier this month, over 5,600 items have been sold with over $40k raised for three veteran non-profits, including FourBlock, Mission22, and Semper K9.    

#TheHumanNetwork Volunteer Spotlight.
Tricia B., a recruiter at Verizon and a military spouse, is proud of all the work her husband Edward, a Marine veteran, is doing during these unprecedented times.

After losing hours at work due to the pandemic, Edward suddenly had a little more free time on his hands. He decided to spend that time helping his community by volunteering at the local food bank, Feeding America on the Treasure Coast, where he packs and sorts food boxes.

Edward’s team helped feed over 1,000 families in just two hours last week. Thanks for being a part of #TheHumanNetwork, Edward!

For more on how V Teamers are giving back, check out our volunteer page.