Give where it counts

A recent collaboration between the Tampa Bay Times and the Center for Investigative Reporting reported the 50 most corrupt charities in the US; of these, six target Veterans. “I am disturbed that many of the organizations included in this report claim to be helping veterans but provide little actual assistance” spoke Representative Dina Titus.

Inherent in the American Spirit is the desire to give: especially to those who gave us freedom. My grandfather was a disabled Veteran, I see Veterans as my family…my American family. Put ‘Veteran’ in the name of a charity and I will give what I can. Disappointingly, there are times that Americans do not receive honest information about the distribution of the money they donate.

Titus mentions one Veterans Foundation that raised $61 million between 2008 and 2010 for ‘badly needed goods for disabled veterans’ which turned out to be 11,520 bags of M&Ms and 26 bags of cough drops. Some Veteran-oriented charities paid their own salaries, others gave to entirely unconnected charities, but all of the charities on the list spent only pennies of every dollar raised on Veteran aid. That said, there are those among us who are honestly giving to Veterans in the work that they do. I’m proud to be one of the many people who are dedicated to Veterans as an employee of The Department of Veterans Affairs.  VA is filled with kind, compassionate and caring individuals. And, as our Veteran population increases, so does our demand. We are continually seeking out health care professionals for emerging issues in Rural healthcare, women’s healthcare, and obesity.

We at VA know that serving Veterans is about more than providing world-class healthcare.  We provide employment assistance, homelessness assistance, and specialized mental health programs for PTSD. As we identify the specific needs of Veterans, we look for more talented and passionate Americans to give back. Visit VAcareers.va.gov and apply today. You will not find a more effective way to give back to Veterans than working at VA.

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Carly Mattingly is a VA Intern working under the Pathways Internship Program as a Marketing assistant. She is also a military Spouse of an active duty Navy Sailor.