There are moments when a building becomes much more than brick and mortar. The opening of the new Convenience Store at the VFW National Home is one of those moments.
For most people, picking up a gallon of milk, a loaf of bread, or a bottle of cold medicine is a quick stop on the way home. For many of the military and veteran families living at the National Home, however, those everyday errands often meant coordinating transportation, loading children into the car, or finding time between work, school, and appointments. While those challenges may seem small on their own, they add up for families already working hard to rebuild their lives.
Thanks to the extraordinary generosity of VFW and VFW Auxiliary members across the country, those families have a new resource just steps from their front door.
When VFW National Commander-in-Chief Carol Whitmore and VFW Auxiliary National President Lois Callahan selected the Convenience Store as their 2025–2026 National Project, they envisioned creating something practical—something that would make everyday life a little easier for the families who call the VFW National Home home. Thanks to the incredible support of Posts, Auxiliaries, and individual donors nationwide, that vision became reality with more than $134,000 raised to transform an empty space into a welcoming, fully stocked convenience store.
That generosity provided everything needed to bring the project to life, including refrigerators, freezers, shelving, store fixtures, fresh and frozen foods, household necessities, personal care items, and a self-service checkout system that allows families to shop quickly and conveniently. While those items fill the shelves, what they truly provide is something much greater. They save families time, reduce transportation challenges, and remove one more obstacle as parents focus on building stable, independent futures for themselves and their children.
The Convenience Store is another reminder that support often comes in simple, meaningful ways. It’s one less errand after a long day. It’s the ability to grab diapers before bedtime or ingredients for dinner without leaving campus. It gives families more time to spend together and one less thing to worry about.
While thousands of generous donors made this project possible, one person worked tirelessly behind the scenes to turn the vision into reality.
Lisa Mahan, Welcome Center Manager at the VFW National Home, dedicated countless hours to planning, organizing, stocking, and preparing the store for opening day. From coordinating deliveries and organizing inventory to carefully considering how the space would best serve residents, Lisa approached every detail with the families in mind. Her commitment wasn’t simply about opening another building on campus, it was about creating a welcoming place that families could depend on every day. Her passion, hard work, and dedication helped transform a wonderful idea into a lasting resource that will continue serving National Home families for years to come.
The opening of the Convenience Store also serves as a powerful reminder of what makes the VFW and VFW Auxiliary so extraordinary. Every dollar raised came from people who may never meet the families living here but believe deeply in supporting those who have served our nation. Their generosity reflects the spirit of service that has defined both organizations for generations—neighbors helping neighbors, veterans helping veterans, and communities coming together to ensure no military family has to face life’s challenges alone.
To every VFW member, every Auxiliary member, every Post and Auxiliary that organized fundraisers, every volunteer who gave their time, and every donor who contributed to this project, thank you. Your generosity built far more than a convenience store. You created peace of mind for parents, convenience for busy families, and another layer of support for those working toward brighter futures. Because of you, this store will continue serving military and veteran families for many years to come.
The ribbon cutting celebrated the opening of a new store, but it also celebrated something much larger. It celebrated a nationwide community that continues to stand beside military and veteran families long after their service has ended. Every item purchased, every shelf stocked, and every family who walks through those doors will be reminded that there are thousands of people across this country who believe in them and want them to succeed.
That is the true legacy of this project.
It’s more than a store.
It’s another way of saying, “Welcome home.”
