With each passing year, I grow less interested in talking about Memorial Day recipes and retail sales. Perhaps, it’s because as the conflicts overseas drag on and expand, I become more impressed by the men and women of our military. And those who have made the ultimate sacrifice deserve more from Memorial Day than a reason to save 40% on a final sale t-shirt or make a flag-shaped fruit salad.
So this year, instead of spending money on discounted clothing, I’m donating to the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors. TAPS is a highly rated, well-respected charity that provides support services to the loved ones of fallen soldiers.
Have a safe weekend with your friends and family. xoxo, Belle
*image found here.
Bravo, Belle! Having grown up in a military community, I’ve seen the sacrifices by not only our soldiers but by their spouses and children. It breaks my heart but also makes me so very proud of our military families. Have a great weekend!
PSA: Memorial Day is for those who have served and passed.
Veterans Day is for those that have served but are no longer serving.
Any other day, including Flag Day and Armed Services Day, is a good time to recognize and appreciate those who are serving today. Please don’t wish a veteran or a servicemember a “happy memorial day” or thank them on Facebook.
EVERYDAY is a good time to recognize and appreciate those that are serving!!!! GEEEZ
No. As a veteran, don’t thank me for my service on Memorial Day. This day is not for those of us who made it back.
Duly noted, Leigh. Thank you for your service
Memorial Day is in inappropriate time. You’re wrong. Respect those who have passed.
My Air Force pilot husband and Army soldier son agree Memorial Day is not for them, thank God. We honor the memory of those who fought and died for us. And it’s not “happy”.
So glad you pointed out that TAPS is well rated. If you’re going to give money to non-profits, making sure they use the money effectively (more money towards their charitable programs and not administrative costs) is very important when making charitable donations.
I’ve worked for nonprofits for my entire life. This is a good place to start, but it’s really not a foolproof measure. For instance, most human service providers work on state Medicaid contracts, which had very low reimbursement rates. They also need far more administrative staff that would be expected, because almost all states now require electronic healthcare records for Medicaid providers, and that requires lots of administrative overheard, admin staff, and compliance staff.
That’s just one example. My advice is to start from admin overhead, but ask questions of the charity about their model and results. Get to know some really great ones, and give them monthly sustaining gifts, the best way for them to effectively budget and manage their organization.
Thanks for thinking of nonprofits!
Thank you so much for this. Just went down a Google rabbit hole re: TAPS, and am so inspired by the founder’s story. I made my donation, and will be encouraging others to do the same.
What a timely and important reminder. I just donated. I really appreciate your sharing this information about a worthy cause.
Thank you for posting this. My friend, Spc. John A Pelham was KIA in Afghanistan 2/12/14. He was 23 and on his second tour. He went out with his boots on and guns blazing. Memorial Day has had an entirely different meaning ever since.
All too often, people forget that Memorial Day isn’t about sales and bbqs and having a day off. It’s about the heroism and selflessness of those who laid their lives down.
THANK YOU! Really appreciate this post. You are so right.
bravo…have a safe and happy weekend.
Thank you for this.
Thank you for sharing, Belle! We are always on the lookout for good charities benefiting our servicemen and their families.
Thank you for this. I learned a lot from everyone’s comments, too.