For information and assistance, veterans and their families should contact their local Red Cross chapters, which are listed in local telephone books and can be found at Your Local Red Cross.

Veterans Affairs Volunteer Services

 Red Cross volunteer services to U.S. veterans date back to World War I and are consistent with the mission of its congressional charter. Today, the Red Cross is proud to maintain its commitment to the sick and disabled men and women who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces.

Your Opportunityto Serve—and Say “Thanks” – How You Can Help

Volunteers from Red Cross chapters and Red Cross offices on military installations serve in 153 VA hospitals around the nation. It is their way of saying thank-you to that special group of men and women who answered their country’s call and who are now cared for each day in VA medical centers. The opportunities for volunteers to meet the great needs in these centers include:

•      Transporting patients to and from treatment sessions

•      Working in libraries, bringing magazines, books, and comfort items to patients

•      Providing companionship and personal services to patients

•      Working in hospital offices, laboratories and at information desks

•      Raising funds to support veterans’ activities and material needs

•      Participating in outreach opportunities in community-based outpatient clinics, nursing homes and home visitations

 Both youth and adults can volunteer on a regularly scheduled basis or on an occasional basis working on special projects. Youth volunteers are especially welcome and are offered the same opportunities as adults. Regardless of how one serves, being able to reach out to these men and women has special rewards.

Veterans Claims for Benefits

The Red Cross provides assistance and information in preparing, developing, and obtaining sufficient evidence to support applicants’ claims for veterans’ benefits and also assists claimants who seek to appeal to the Board of Veterans’ Appeals (BVA).  Red Cross staff at the BVA and a network of State Work-Share Representatives who are accredited by the Department of Veterans Affairs work on behalf of the Red Cross to assist claimants.

Department of Veterans Affairs

Read more about Red Cross services to veterans

America's Veterans Honored Daily by Red Cross Services
Even before World War I, the Red Cross had a long history of serving alongside the military.

Department of Veterans Affairs