Content Objectives:

The content of each blog should revolve around issues facing veterans, service members, and their families from the viewpoint of providers. Providers may also choose to discuss lessons learned during sessions. Writers should be mindful of the main goal of our blog, which is to have providers learn from one another and share ideas that will help improve care.

How to apply to be a guest blogger:

Send your name, a one-paragraph biography, and a sample blog post that would be suitable for use as your first submission. If ForcesUnited does choose to use your blog, you will be contacted to arrange a mutually beneficial schedule for future submissions.

You may record your service hours once you have submitted your blog for approval.

Graphic designers are needed for a variety of projects ranging from designing materials for ForcesUnited events to creating social media images.

Choose one or more of the following:

• Like ForcesUnited on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/ForcesUnited and invite your Facebook friends to do the same. By frequently liking and sharing ForcesUnited’s posts, you will help to generate more awareness about our services and bring more people to ForcesUnited’s page.
• Follow ForcesUnited on Twitter at http://twitter.com/ForcesUnited or @ForcesUnited and retweet our posts often.
• Follow ForcesUnited on Instagram @ForcesUnited_formerly_awp
• Post a notice about your involvement and introduce ForcesUnited as a professional and community service organization.
• Note your commitment and if you have your own website, include a link to ForcesUnited.

Include Mission – ForcesUnited CFC# 

• ForcesUnited operates with a small staff and very low overhead but still needs financial resources to continue to meet the increasing demand. The CFC is one way we create awareness and also raise funds for our mission. ForcesUnited has an opportunity to participate in Combined Federal Campaigns (CFC) events across the country.
• The CFC season kicks off each fall.
• We are looking for volunteers who would be willing to represent ForcesUnited at these events. Each event is different but usually requires several hours of time per event.
• Does your company participate in the CFC campaign? You can also invite us to participate in your community.

Duties: Set-up a table, distribute collateral material and be our CFC ambassadors at government workplaces who participate in a CFC campaign. We would provide you with fact sheets so that you would have the latest information about our work.

Availability needed: Generally, 09-01 to 12-31

Volunteers research various awards and grants that ForcesUnited would be eligible to receive.

Due the 15th of every month.

Choose one or more of the following:

• Contact your local VA Hospital, Vets Center, military base, Reserve unit, National Guard unit, Airman Family Readiness Center, Army Community Services, Fleet and Family Support Center, or Family Assistance Center to see about distributing brochures (then let us know how many brochures you’ll need).
• Connect with veterans service organizations in your area (American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, AmVets, USO, etc.). As organizations in each community tend to vary, we invite you to research what is available in your community. You can introduce the local organization to ForcesUnited and offer to provide them with brochures to distribute to their members.
• If there is a large military population in your community, you can contact local schools and offer to give teachers and staff information about ForcesUnited. Schools can be another source of referrals to ForcesUnited providers.
• Contact the advertising departments of your local Base or Post newspapers as well as lifestyle magazines in your community and ask them to run the ForcesUnited ad as a public service announcement.
• Connect with Base or Post Spouses Clubs including Officers Spouses Club and Family Readiness Groups. You can introduce the local organization to ForcesUnited and offer to provide them with brochures to distribute to their members.
• Ask primary care providers at your Military Treatment Facility to display ForcesUnited brochures. We know that primary care physicians are often the first to refer folks for mental health services, so they should be aware that we exist. Let us know how many brochures you need.
• Contact local community leaders such as Chaplains, First Sergeants, Key Spouses, or other unit leaders to let them know about ForcesUnited. Write a letter, send a brochure, or meet with them personally.
• Consider sending a letter-to-the-editor in your local Base or Post newspaper about ForcesUnited.

Choose one or more of the following:

• Contact local chambers of commerce, rotary clubs, and other civic and philanthropic organizations within your community. Introduce them to ForcesUnited and ask them to distribute our brochures and to consider making a financial contribution.
• Research community events you can participate in. Be the “face” of ForcesUnited. You can wear a ForcesUnited t-shirt (purchase ForcesUnited merchandise at our new online store http://www.cafepress.com/giveanhour), distribute brochures, host a table, and so on. Just let us know about the event and what materials you might require.
• Consider making donation requests on behalf of ForcesUnited (see the fundraising letter in this tool kit). Many local businesses might be willing to contribute financially to ForcesUnited to underwrite the cost of printing brochures and posters to be distributed within your community, as well as for advertising and for trainings.
• Consider hosting your own special event to raise awareness and raise funds (this can be anything from a cocktail party with your friends and colleagues to a screening of a war-related movie). We can provide you with a PowerPoint presentation. Contact Jessica Grove at jgrove@giveanhour.org for the presentation or other marketing materials.
• Let your professional organizations know that you are a ForcesUnited volunteer.
• Consider submitting a general article to your professional organizations newsletter.
• Work with your professional organization to recruit additional volunteers to ForcesUnited’s network. Ensure there is a link from organization’s website to ForcesUnited.