When hurricanes hit Florida, veterans don’t wait to be asked. They show up.
That’s why, with Florida’s 2026 legislative session in full swing, House Bill 609 and Senate Bill 1282 are so important. These bills will determine whether organizations like the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) can continue showing up for our communities when they need us most.
As chair of the Disaster Relief Committee for the VFW Department of Florida, I’ve seen firsthand how quickly our members mobilize. Across the state, the VFW maintains disaster relief trailers stocked with tarps, bottled water, fuel, hygiene supplies, and nonperishable goods. Within hours of a storm passing, those trailers are on the road. Often by the very next day, we are distributing supplies not just to veterans, but to entire communities in need.
That level of response does not happen by accident. It happens because we are prepared and because that preparation is funded in part through charitable bingo.
We still have veterans rebuilding after hurricanes. Outside of disaster relief, Florida still has veterans struggling with homelessness and we still have service members transitioning into civilian life who need support. Our VFW posts diligently stand ready to respond.
Florida’s VFW has 152 posts statewide. Each maintains its own local relief fund so it can respond when a veteran or community member needs help that extends beyond obtaining supplies distributed from our relief trailers.
These needs can range from transportation to medical appointments, building a wheelchair ramp to make a home accessible, organizing volunteers to clear debris for someone with limited mobility, or simply providing companionship to a veteran or family member in crisis.
We are not state-funded. We are not federally funded. Our organization is solely supported by charitable fundraising initiatives, ensuring that all funds collected are allocated directly to serving veterans, their families and local communities.
Charitable bingo is a longstanding, lawful fundraising tradition that allows our posts to stay open, keep the lights on, and fund these relief efforts. No individual member profits from these activities. These are volunteer-driven, nonprofit operations designed solely to support veterans and strengthen communities.
House Bill 609 and Senate Bill 1282 seek to modernize outdated statutory language and align it with existing case law, a case decided in Lee County, to provide clarity on lawful charitable bingo operations.
For years, veteran organizations have operated under ambiguity in the statute. Confusion over what equipment is permitted has created unnecessary legal uncertainty for organizations that are acting in good faith. The legislation resolves that ambiguity, codifies established case law, and clearly outlines how instant-bingo dispensers may lawfully operate.
House Bill 609 and Senate Bill 1282 provide the clarity and stability we need to keep our doors open and continue serving our communities when a storm hits, when a family is in need, or when a veteran is struggling.
Florida’s veterans will continue showing up. This session, I urge the Legislature to show up for us.
Sean Golder is the District 2 Commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), Department of Florida, and serves as Chair of the Disaster Relief Committee and State Legislative Chair. He is a U.S. Army and Florida National Guard combat veteran.