American Red Cross services for veterans date back to World War I and remains consistent with the spirit of our congressional charter. Today, the Red Cross is proud to maintain our commitment to the men and women who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces.
The American Red Cross offers confidential services to all veterans and their families by connecting them with local, state and national resources through our network of chapters in communities across the United States and offices on military installations worldwide.
Local Red Cross offices develop and maintain relationships with key community partners. Veterans and their families rely on the Red Cross to help them identify their needs and connect them to the most appropriate resources. These vital services range from responding to emergency needs for food, clothing, and shelter, referrals to counseling services (e.g., financial, legal, jobs, mental health), information on veterans cemeteries and burial benefits, and other resources that meet the unique needs of local veterans and their families.
The Red Cross assists veterans and their families in preparing, developing, and obtaining sufficient evidence to support applicants’ claims for veterans’ benefits. We also assist claimants seeking to appeal to the Board of Veterans’ Appeals (BVA). This work is done by Red Cross staff at the BVA as well as a network of State Work-Share Representatives who are accredited by the Department of Veterans Affairs to work on behalf of the Red Cross.
Red Cross volunteers serve in Veterans Administration (VA) and military hospitals across the nation and around the world. Volunteers, which includes many veterans and their families, provide vital assistance in the areas of rehabilitation, recreation, administration, and personal services to the men and women who answered their country’s call and who are now cared for each day in military hospitals and VA medical centers.
For information and assistance, veterans and their families should contact their local Red Cross office.
Access vital emergency and non-emergency resources for military members, veterans and military families.
Learn how your military experience can translate to a different kind of service: a career with the Red Cross.