Phone Cards for Veterans

Posted by Maximum Fun on 15th December 2006

I only very rarely advocate any cause (other than my own) on the website, but I thought for the holidays this might make a worthy exception.

My father is a disabled veteran and long-time veterans activist and advocate. His current project, The Jhai Foundation, works around the world on people-driven development projects based in reconciliation, and began by helping people in the regions of Laos he helped bomb while in the Navy in the 1960s.

He got his start in activism helping to found the west coast wing of Vietnam Veterans Against the War. He has been active with that group (now Veterans for Peace) and in veterans issues for the past 35 years.

Vets for Peace has teamed up with several other veterans’ and peace groups to buy phone cards for injured and disabled veterans in Veterans Administration hospitals across the country. As you may know, VA budgets have been slashed over the past few years, and VA hospitals are unable to offer long-distance calls to their patients unless the patients pay, which can be quite difficult for folks living on a military pension.

No matter how you feel about the war, we can all agree that giving our injured vets a chance to call home for the holidays is a noble goal. A $20 donation means six vets get two hours of calls to their families. You can make a donation, or you can volunteer to help personally deliver the cards.