Donate Time or Money to your Local Military Lounge
Besides airline, credit card, and other club lounges at airports, there is another type of lounge dedicated to the military and their families. These (military) lounges are run by independent groups or the United Service Organizations (USO). Many of these lounges operate on limited funds and staff, so they are in regular need of volunteer support.
The video below shows inside one of these military lounges and talks about ways you can volunteer. This one is from the Military Hospitality Lounge located at Miami International Airport (MIA) in Florida (donate).
Over the years, I have seen several of these military lounges close due to funding or lack of volunteers. So, I thought it would be useful to list a few options for those wanting to volunteer (time or money).
- Donate to the USO
- USO Volunteering Information
- See our USO and Military Airport Lounge Guide to find a location; most locations have a cash tip container
Pop-Up & Holiday Lounges
Some airports offer holiday military lounges, such as Delta Airlines' lounge at Atlanta and Monterey Regional Airport, which provides a special place for military personnel to visit. The Monterey lounge is open from December 17th to December 25th and offers a meal service funded by donations. You can help by donating $10 by purchasing a meal for a service member.
Related
Closing Thoughts
In addition to the links above, there are many independent military lounges. An example of this type of lounge would be the reopened military lounge in Jacksonville. I know of at least 70 military lounges in airports around the United States. If you are interested in supporting these lounges, look locally or drop off a donation next time you travel through an airport with a military lounge.