Back to Military and Family Support Military and Family Support

MILITARY APPRECIATION PROGRAM

Community events, hosted by local VFW Posts, that bring service members, veterans, and military families together.

Service members and veterans pose together in front of a military vehicle, showcasing community support and appreciation.

VFW POSTS BRING MILITARY COMMUNITIES TOGETHER.

The Military Appreciation Program (MAP) is run by the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) and funded by the VFW Foundation. Through MAP, local VFW posts host events that recognize service members, veterans, and military families and strengthen the communities around them. The VFW Foundation provides the funding that lets Posts plan and host these gatherings in towns and cities nationwide. For corporate supporters, MAP pairs national scale with authentic, local execution in thousands of communities, a strong fit for brands building real community presence.

EVENTS THAT HONOR SERVICE CLOSE TO HOME.

MAP events are built around connection. They take many forms, including:

  • Family appreciation dinners
  • Pre-deployment send-offs
  • Holiday gatherings
  • Community welcomes

Each event is planned and hosted by the VFW post that knows its community best, so appreciation becomes something people can show up for.

3,700+ Units & ships adopted since 2007

Support That Reaches Deployed Troops.

MAP also reaches beyond local events. Through Adopt-a-Unit, Posts adopt deployed units and ships and stay connected with them for the length of a deployment. More than 3,700 units and ships have been adopted since 2007. Through Care Packages, posts collect and ship personal items to deployed units worldwide, so service members feel their hometown community behind them. Many posts stay with the same units across more than one deployment.

National Scale with Local Execution.

4.1M+

Service members & families served since 2005

308,045

People reached in 2024

5,600+

VFW Posts in all 50 states and abroad

Turn National Support Into Local Impact.

National insurers, consumer brands, and franchise networks can fund MAP events that activate communities locally, turning national support into visible impact in thousands of towns.

VFW Foundation
Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.