We owe so much to veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces. Groups like AmVets accept donations to assist veterans.

According to the non-profit organization’s website, AmVets helps veterans obtain compensation and benefits, provide scholarships to veterans and dependents, fund carillon bells for veteran cemeteries and fund American history programs. The organization will pick up donations of clothing, household items and furniture — a scheduling option is available on the group’s website.

Donation drop boxes are also located in several spots in the area. Brookhaven locations are in the parking lots of Walmart shopping center, Brookhaven Plaza, City Mart on Natchez Drive and Save-a-Lot.

According to signage on the large blue bins, the receptacles are for clothing and shoes donations. A phone number is prominently displayed on each bin to schedule pickups for large items, such as furniture. Donors can also receive a tax-deductible receipt for items picked up.

We love to see people take advantage of these donation locations, dropping off new or gently-used clothing and shoes for use by our veterans, or for resale with proceeds going to meet AmVets’ stated purposes.

What we don’t like to see, however, is people dropping off large items at the donation boxes — especially if these items are already damaged or broken. The donation boxes are not emptied daily, and inclement weather can ruin donations left outside on the ground.

It takes little extra effort to make a phone call or schedule a pickup online, and the non-profit group donors are purportedly trying to help receive a much better product. Taking a bit of time and making that effort go a long way to showing our veterans we actually care — not that they are a dumping ground for junk we no longer want.

Many of our older veterans are still trying to get over the feeling that they were not wanted when they returned from fighting for our country. Let’s not treat them that way with our donations.