Blog
Donating as a Non-Itemizer
Key Takeaways New deduction for non-itemizers: Starting with the 2026 tax year, taxpayers who take the standard deduction can now claim a charitable deduction for the first time in years. Dollar limits apply: Single filers can deduct up to $1,000 and married couples filing jointly can deduct up to $2,000, with no carryover for amounts above that. Cash gifts only: The deduction covers cash, check, and credit card donations, but excludes non-cash gifts like goods, stock, or donor-advised fund contributions. Broad impact: Since most taxpayers use the standard deduction, this [...]
How To Donate Cars and Vehicles to Veterans
Key Takeaways Impact goes beyond taxes: Donated vehicles fund housing, job training, and mental health support for veterans in need. Many vehicles qualify: Cars, trucks, RVs, motorcycles, and even non-running vehicles typically qualify for donation. The process is simple: Donating usually takes just a form or phone call, followed by free pickup and title transfer. Deductions depend on sale price: Your tax deduction is generally limited to the vehicle's sale price, with exceptions for charity use or major repairs. Transparency matters: Look for a registered 501(c)(3) with a clear record [...]
IRA Charitable Distributions
Key Takeaways What is an IRA charitable distribution? It’s a direct transfer from your IRA to a qualified nonprofit, made without the funds ever passing through your hands Who can use one? Anyone age 70½ or older with a traditional or inherited IRA Is it taxable? The transferred amount is excluded from your gross income entirely. What is the annual limit? Up to $111,000 per person in 2026 Does it satisfy my required minimum distribution (RMD)? Yes, a QCD counts dollar for dollar toward your RMD Can a QCD exceed [...]
Veteran Resilience Doesn’t Mean Doing It Alone
Veteran resilience is often described as the ability to keep going through difficult circumstances. That strength matters, but it can also create an unintended message: that veterans should be able to handle housing instability, financial hardship, trauma, or the challenges of returning to civilian life without help. We see resilience differently. A veteran can be strong and still need a safe place to live, reliable resources, supportive relationships, or help navigating an unfamiliar system. Asking for assistance does not erase independence. It can protect it. Our work at National [...]
How Recurring Giving Supports Prevention, Not Just Emergencies
When people think about helping veterans experiencing homelessness, they may picture an immediate need: a veteran without a safe place to sleep, a family facing eviction, or someone who needs food and basic supplies. Those needs matter, but preventing homelessness often requires work before a situation becomes visible or urgent. Outreach, prevention case management, housing connections, and resource navigation all require consistent support throughout the year. Recurring giving gives supporters a way to participate in that ongoing work. Rather than responding only when an emergency appears, monthly giving provides [...]
National Recovery Month: How Stability Supports a Veteran’s Recovery
Recovery involves more than stopping substance use. For many veterans, lasting recovery also means finding safe housing, addressing health concerns, rebuilding relationships, and building a daily routine that supports long-term well-being. Without these foundations, even meaningful progress can become difficult to maintain. A veteran may complete treatment but return to unstable housing. Someone working toward recovery may struggle to manage medical appointments while living outdoors. Another veteran may want help but feel isolated from family, friends, or trusted professionals. These circumstances do not reflect a lack of effort. They demonstrate [...]
How Businesses Can Use the Homestretch 5K for Employee Engagement
A company’s support for a charitable event does not have to end with a logo on a race shirt. The Homestretch 5K gives businesses a chance to bring employees together, encourage wellness, build stronger teams, and support veterans experiencing homelessness in Central Florida. With the right approach, a single race can become the starting point for meaningful employee involvement and longer-term community engagement. The 9th Annual Homestretch 5K takes place November 8, 2026, at Eau Gallie Square Park in Melbourne, Florida. Whether your business organizes a workplace team, volunteers at [...]
What Veterans and Families Should Know About Seeking Help During Recovery
Asking for help can feel difficult, especially when you are unsure where to begin. A veteran may be managing substance use concerns, mental health challenges, financial stress, or unstable housing while trying to maintain responsibilities at home. A family member may recognize that something is wrong but worry about saying the wrong thing or contacting an organization that cannot address the problem. These uncertainties can delay important support. Recovery often requires more than addressing one concern at a time. A veteran may need professional treatment, a safe place to live, [...]
Why Referrals Matter Before Housing Instability Becomes Homelessness
When a veteran loses housing, the crisis often starts long before they sleep outside, move into a vehicle, or enter an emergency shelter. A missed rent payment, an eviction notice, an unexpected expense, reduced income, or an unsafe living situation can signal that housing stability is already at risk. The challenge is that community members may not recognize those warning signs or know where to direct a veteran for help. By the time someone is visibly homeless, fewer options may remain, and the situation can become more difficult to [...]
Fall Donation Needs: Give What Helps Veterans Most
Fall can change what veterans and families need from one season to the next. While summer donation drives may have focused on hydration and warm-weather supplies, those priorities can shift as September begins. For community members who want to help, that creates an important question: what can you give that NVHS can actually use? The answer starts with understanding the difference between monetary and in-kind donations. In-kind donations are physical goods, such as food, household supplies, clothing, or other requested items. Because these donations take up physical space and must [...]
How NVHS Determines What Donations Are Needed
A donation list can look simple, but the items NVHS needs can change from one season to the next. Veterans may need different supplies as circumstances, programs, inventory, and seasonal conditions change. That can make it difficult for donors to know whether an item they gave before still makes sense today. For in-kind donations, checking the current NVHS needs list before giving helps ensure physical items match what NVHS can use. Monetary donations work differently. They give NVHS flexibility to direct financial resources toward priorities as they change. Understanding [...]
From Outreach to Housing Stability: How NVHS Support Works
Finding the right support can be difficult when a veteran is experiencing homelessness or fears losing their home. A veteran may know they need help but not know which program fits their situation, where to begin, or what happens after the first conversation. For donors, volunteers, and referral partners, the range of NVHS programs can also appear fragmented when each service is viewed separately. We take a connected approach. Our work can begin with street outreach or a veteran reaching out for help, then move through assessment, resource connections, housing-focused [...]