A common phrase used at Volunteer Girls State is “to whom much is given, much is expected.” We are asking you to join us in sharing the spirit of ALA VGS by participating in the ninth annual ALA VGS Week of Service November 17-23, 2024.

While we typically focus on gifts of time and talent to serve our communities, this year we are placing a priority on providing assistance to our neighbors in East Tennessee that were, and continue to be, affected by Hurricane Helene. Many families and communities face a long road to recovery after homes, schools, and towns were devastated by record flooding. We are asking you to make a donation (no matter the size!) to the Neighbor to Neighbor Disaster Relief Fund of East Tennessee Foundation. This fund supports response, relief, and recovery efforts in East Tennessee, specifically in Carter, Cocke, Greene, Hamblen, Hawkins, Johnson, Unicoi, and Washington counties. We would love for you to share this with family and friends, or come up with a way to raise additional donations to support this relief fund.

Click here to donate directly to the Neighbor to Neighbor Disaster Relief Fund of East Tennessee Foundation.

We also encourage you to find other ways to give back to your community during the ALA VGS Week of Service! See below for additional ideas of how you can serve your community, either during this week of service or throughout the year. Use #ALAVGSWeekofService to share your photos and ideas with us across our social platforms!

So, how will you invest… in your school, your community, our nation, and our world?

     

Supporting Veterans and Active Duty Troops

If you are eligible, become a member or junior member of the American Legion Auxiliary at www.alaforveterans.org. You may also contact former ALA VGS Chairwoman Julia Wells via email to help with your membership form. 

Operation Gratitude invites you to write and collect letters to be included in care packages that are sent to troops. For more information about Operation Gratitude’s letter writing campaign, click here.

Help the USO send 2 Million messages of support to troops through their Campaign to Connect. 

Call your local VA Hospital and see how you can support their work with veterans. (Nashville, Memphis, Murfreesboro, and East Tennessee) .

Collect items to donate to Alpha Omega Veteran’s Services in Memphis. View their current needs here.

Contact your local American Legion Post or ALA unit and see if they collect items for the American Legion’s Operation Comfort Warriors (OCW) program that was created to provide “nonessentials,” or items that help wounded warriors’ recovery.

Ask a family member who is a veteran to share with you about their time of service and thank them for their service. You may want to record this to share with others.

Organize a time for a veteran from your community to talk to your school, club, or church group about their military service. This could happen virtually!

Place flags by veterans’ graves.

Helping Your Community

Collect food for a food pantry or serve a meal at a homeless shelter.

Donate blood.

Organize a book or board game drive for a nursing home or a local school or preschool.

Volunteer at a local animal shelter.

Go to a nursing home and play card or board games with residents.

Rake leaves or offer to do other household chores for elderly neighbors, family with small children, or a military family in your neighborhood.

Clean up a local park or school playground.

Make cards or holiday decorations for residents of local nursing homes.

*American Legion Auxiliary Volunteer Girls State is not affiliated with any of the veteran’s organizations listed above, except the American Legion Auxiliary.