I’m embarrassed to admit I often forget my dad is a Veteran. To me, growing up, he was just my dad — a guy who loves helping people, enjoys movie theater popcorn, and needs to turn down the car radio if it rains while he’s driving. But he’s more than that. He’s one of millions across the United States who have put their lives on the line to protect and serve our nation.
We truly can’t thank our veterans enough for their service, but one way to show our appreciation is to give back to causes that matter to them. In this blog, we’ll take a closer look at the Veteran community and use insights from the Ignite Platform to uncover the charitable issues most important to them.
The Values Driving Veterans Across Generations
Resonate uses Dr. Shalom Schwartz’s 19 fundamental personal values to determine what informs a person’s innermost decisions. Below are the top 3 personal values for veterans across the Boomer, Generation X, and Millennial generations — and charitable causes you can donate to based on their interests.
Gen X Veterans
Top 3 Values
- Duty: May emphasize adherence to obligations, rules, and laws. May also be more self-disciplined, obedient, organized, and dependable.
- Safety: May emphasize preserving their safety, seeking secure surroundings, and avoiding circumstances that might be unsafe. May also be more likely to seek harmony and stability and avoid conflict and change. Life is about personal safety.
- Creativity: May be more individualistic, adaptive, and imaginative. Life is an exploration and learning about new ideas and being imaginative is important.
Cares About: Water Conservation
Consider donating to: The Nature Conservancy
The Nature Conservancy is dedicated to protecting water (and land) resources for the good of people and nature. The organization is actively protecting rivers, lakes, and natural lands in 30 countries and all 50 states.
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Boomer Veterans
Top 3 Values
- Duty: May emphasize adherence to obligations, rules, and laws. May also be more self-disciplined, obedient, organized, and dependable.
- Security: May emphasize the stability of society, including national security and social order. Life is about a strong state and a stable society.
- Safety: May emphasize preserving their own safety, seeking secure surroundings, and avoiding circumstances that might be unsafe. May also be more likely to seek harmony and stability and avoid conflict and change. Life is about personal safety.
Cares About: Homelessness
Consider donating to Volunteers of America
Volunteers of America works to end homelessness through various support services, including eviction prevention, emergency services, transitional housing, and permanent affordable housing.
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Millennial Veterans
Top 3 Values
- Influence: May be more likely to accumulate wealth and the status and power of money and material possessions. May also be more outgoing, self-disciplined, and organized; and less softhearted. Life is about money and social status.
- Reputation: May place more emphasis on preserving a public image and avoiding embarrassment and dishonor. Life is about social respect.
- Achievement: May seek success and the admiration of others for being successful. Ambitiousness and determination may be distinguishing attributes. Life is about getting ahead, “winning,” and impressing others.
Cares About: Natural Resource Preservation
Consider donating to National Parks Conservation Association
The NPCA is the leading voice of the American people in the fight to safeguard the scenic beauty, wildlife, and historic and cultural treasures of the world’s largest and most diverse park system.
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General Consensus: Veterans Caring for Veterans
While generationally, we can see different values (particularly in the Millennial Veterans group), they have something significant in common. Veterans across all generational groups agree that military support is their #1 charitable concern. Whether it’s your time, money, or other resources, you may consider donating to the following veteran-focused organizations:
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Any day is a good day to thank a Veteran for their service. From all of us at Resonate, thank you to all the Veterans for fighting for and ensuring the freedoms we enjoy every day.
