When you don’t have a dedicated caregiver, it can feel like you’re going it alone. You may be wondering: who’s going to check in? Who’s going to make sure I’m okay when things get heavy? The good news is, you don’t have to rely solely on a traditional caregiver model. Community is care. For veterans, peer networks and veteran-led groups are proving to be powerful alternatives or complements to formal caregiving.

Why community-based support matters

Veterans often find healing in connection with people who “get it” and have walked the same path. Peer-to-peer programs have been shown to offer real benefits. For example, a study found that veterans identified peer support as offering social support, a sense of purpose, hope, and normalization of symptoms

Another study showed that community-based peer networks helped with reintegration into civilian life. These programs improve social support, enhance coping, and strengthen community connection. 

In short, if you don’t have a caregiver, a support circle built from peers, veteran-led groups, or community networks can help fill the gap.

What types of support exist when caregiving isn’t available

• Peer support networks: These are groups where veterans voluntarily support one another by sharing experiences, challenges, and resources. You don’t need to be “in crisis” to join.
  • Gallant Few: Assists members of the Ranger community in reintegrating from active duty service to the civilian world. Gallant Few is an Army Ranger-led active duty and veteran military support organization founded in 2010.
  • Team Red, White & Blue (Team RWB): Connects veterans through physical activity, leadership development, and community events. Their chapters host weekly runs, yoga, and fitness meetups that help build camaraderie.
  • The Warrior’s Journey: Offers online and in-person support groups, mentorship, and spiritual connection for veterans navigating life’s challenges.
  • Veterans Recovery Network: Peer-led support groups inside VA medical centers for veterans in recovery from mental health or substance use disorders.
    

• Veteran-led advocacy and community groups: These groups often combine social connection with a shared mission or volunteer activity. Being part of something bigger than yourself can shift the dynamic from “I need help” to “We’re in this together.”
  • The Mission Continues: Empowers veterans to serve through community service projects, creating purpose-driven teams and strong local networks.
  • Travis Manion Foundation: Offers leadership and mentorship opportunities for veterans, including school talks and service projects that reinforce identity and community connection.
  • Team Rubicon: Serves communities all over the country, from a glacial flood in Alaska to the devastation of Hurricane Helene in the Southeast, from Long Term Recovery operations in Kentucky to wildfire response in California. This veteran-led organization builds belonging through service.
• Local Veteran Service Organizations (VSOs) and community chapters: Groups like the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), and others often offer non-clinical support such as weekly gatherings, peer discussions, rides to appointments, or simply regular check-ins.
  • Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW): Beyond benefits claims, many VFW posts host peer check-ins, community meals, and volunteer opportunities.
  • American Legion: Offers everything from benefit assistance to youth mentorship programs and local post events like breakfasts and meetings.
  • Disabled American Veterans (DAV): Offers transportation to VA medical appointments, local chapter meetings, and peer navigation support for injured veterans.

• Online communities and remote networks: If mobility, geography, or logistics are barriers, virtual groups can help you connect with peers who understand.
  • RallyPoint: A social media platform for service members and veterans to ask questions, share stories, and find community.
    
  • Togetherall: A peer support community monitored by clinicians, free to U.S. veterans through the VA, offering a safe online space to talk through struggles anonymously.
    
  • VA’s Peer Support Outreach: The VA offers virtual and in-person peer support services nationwide. You can request to be connected with a trained peer specialist through your local VA medical center.

How to build your own informal “care network”

• Acknowledge your needs without shame
  Recognizing that you don’t have a caregiver isn’t admitting defeat. It’s being strategic. Consider what you would want: regular check-ins, someone to pick up groceries, a peer to talk to when you’re struggling.
  
• Reach out rather than isolate
  Look for a veteran peer group in your area or online. Ask someone at your local VSO, “Is there a peer-to-peer group for veterans who live alone or need social connection?”
  
• Create a circle of support
  Think smaller than a “caregiver.” Identify two to four people you can count on such as a fellow veteran, a VSO volunteer, a mentor. Ask each one for one specific role. For example: “Will you call me once a week?” or “Will you come over on Saturdays?” This informal network acts like a team instead of putting everything on one person.
  
• Tap into tech and remote tools
  Use apps, online groups, or virtual meet-ups to stay connected. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) reports that trained peer-sponsor networks help transitioning veterans overcome risk factors for isolation and improve outcomes.
  
• Volunteer or give back
  One of the strongest ways to build community is to serve. When you help others, you build relationships, purpose, and reciprocity. That strengthens the network around you.
  
• Check in on your network regularly
  Like any team, your circle needs maintenance. That could mean a quick text, a planned coffee meet-up, or a peer call. Staying connected now can prevent deeper struggles later.

You’re not alone, and you don’t need a traditional caregiver to get support

Not having a caregiver doesn’t mean you’re unsupported. Veterans supporting veterans, and communities embracing shared purpose, offer a powerful alternative. Research shows that peer-led and veteran-led networks improve belonging, reduce isolation, and enhance well-being.

Start today by taking one small action: join a veteran peer group, ask a fellow veteran to be your weekly check-in buddy, or attend a local veteran gathering. Your community is out there. Building your own support team is not only possible — it’s powerful.

Need a place to begin? Explore Mission Roll Call’s Resource Directory to find veteran-led organizations, mental health services, peer networks, and local support programs near you. Whether you’re looking for a group to join or help with navigating your next step, this directory is a great place to start connecting with the care and community you deserve.