As the World War II, Korean War, and Vietnam War veteran population ages, fitting tributes and special programs honoring their service have become more prevalent in recent years.
A Way to Say Thank You
While it’s well deserved, the honors sometimes leave a younger generation of veterans, specifically soldiers from the post-9/11 wars, feeling left out.
A Million Thanks, a nonprofit organization, aims to address that issue through a letter-writing campaign, according to a press release from EIN Presswire. While A Million Thanks has spearheaded letter programs for veterans before, this is the first time the nonprofit is fueling a campaign designed for veterans of wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Veterans can go online and pull up the www.AMillionThanks.org/request page, click on the “Request Letters” tab, and ask for a free package of 22 handwritten notes. The letters will carry a message of gratitude and encouragement. And, since veterans tend to be a humble bunch, friends and family members can register for the letters on a veteran's behalf.
Over Two Decades of Support
A Million Thanks has worked for more than two decades to deliver boxes of letters through the mail to veterans, either still living at home or in assisted care facilities throughout the U.S. The organization’s new initiative is geared toward a younger generation of veterans who live on their own and sometimes yearn for personal connections.
“These letters remind veterans that their service still matters,” said Michele Holley, executive director of A Million Thanks. “We know that isolation and disconnection can quietly impact mental health. A simple act—like opening a letter—can shift perspective and remind someone they are not alone.”
Every package features personal, handwritten notes by volunteers coming from different age groups and walks of life. So far, veterans have embraced the program, describing the joy of receiving a bundle of letters as “uplifting and grounding,” according to the press release.
“I keep my letters in a drawer by my bed,” said one Army veteran who was sent a package in September. “When the noise in my head gets too loud, I read one. It reminds me that people still care.”
A little bit of effort can go a long way. Especially when someone – in this case, total strangers – takes time to sit down, put pen to paper and handwrite a letter, a simple act of kindness that has become a lost art in this digital world filled with instant gratification.
In the press release, A Million Thanks said that studies have documented how meaningful and positive interactions can help a veteran struggling with mental health issues. Reaching out to someone in need can help prevent loneliness and isolation, two main causes of suicide.
“This new program ensures that no veteran, regardless of age or location, misses the reminder that their life and service continue to matter,” said the organization.
