The future of your departments and chapters depends on the volunteer opportunities you provide. Here’s why:

Recruitment: Most veterans are looking for purpose. Volunteer opportunities are a great way to connect that desire with meaningful action while building a vibrant organization that people want to be part of.

Retention: People stay when they feel they matter and are making a difference.

Relevance: Veterans in your community see when people serve in DAV’s name. That visibility creates a connection between who we are and what we do.

Reputation: Organizations, like people, are judged by their actions.

 All are important, but I’d like to focus on recruitment because I believe it’s the foundation on which everything else is built. If DAV is going to continue to be an organization that veterans across our country can rely on for help when they need it, we must have people in place to meet that need.

Our service officers do an incredible job of making sure the promise is kept to those who’ve sacrificed for all of us. They also spend a lot of time building relationships with the veterans they serve. Benefits advocates who understand DAV’s comprehensive services and who are willing to recruit and inspire veterans to become active in the cause as members and volunteers are critical. In addition, the volunteer activities your departments and chapters carry out become resources our benefits advocates can point veterans to.

An active chapter is one where serving is the priority. A vibrant chapter is one where the spirit of service spreads and grows throughout its ranks and within the community that support veterans.

When a veteran in your town reaches out to your chapter with questions about their service-connected illness or injury, someone needs to be there to pick up the phone or answer the email. When a veteran needs a ride to a VA medical appointment, someone needs to take them. When a veteran is in the hospital, someone needs to visit them or sending a care package.

When service is visible, it inspires others to serve. Those acts translate into more people wanting to be involved in what DAV does.

The bottom line: If you want your membership to grow, create attractive opportunities for people to serve in DAV’s name.

You can do that in many ways, but here are two.

First, DAV Community Impact Day. For 2026, it’ll be Saturday, April 4. This is a national call to action where we ask our members and supporters of veterans to give at least an hour of time volunteering for veterans. Last year, we had nearly 1,000 people pledge their time. We want to see that number double for 2026. Not sure what to do or how to put it together? Just reach out to us at [email protected], and we’ll send you some resources to get started.

Second, is DAV Scholarships. There’s $140,000 in scholarships available to students ages 21 or younger who have contributed at least 100 lifetime volunteer hours in DAV’s name. Getting out into your community to spread the word about this opportunity will bring more young people and their families into the DAV fold. By instilling an attitude of service and facilitating opportunities to serve veterans, you’re creating a rich culture of volunteerism in your communities.

The deadline to apply for the 2026 scholarships is Feb. 28, but students can earn their hours at any time, so it’s never too early to start accumulating them.

One final resource for anyone looking for information about DAV’s volunteer programs is volunteerforveterans.org. I encourage you all to take a look—there you’ll find national-level resources and information, as well as inspiration for service opportunities you can create in your communities.

Don’t miss the connection; the future growth and health of your departments and chapters depend directly on how committed you are to providing an outlet for people to serve veterans.