Every day, men and women leave their homes. They put on the uniform. They carry their guns and ammunition. They pack up their belongings, kiss their families goodbye and are sent halfway around the world. They are forced to see destruction, hate, sickness and death. They see their friends being shot and blown up, dodge bullets coming at them and are forced to shoot at the first sign of threat. They sleep in war-torn countries. Body parts hurt or even lost. Souls damaged. They miss holidays and birthdays with family. Missing seeing their kids grow up.

These men and women are our soldiers. Not sure if they will even make it back home, they fight for our freedom every single day. They do this all for us. To make America a place we can all walk around and live the way we do. What do we give them in return?

Memorial Day is a day to remember the fallen. We seem to have lost that meaning though, and instead, make it a long weekend to party. With these 20 tips, however, hopefully, we can get back to the true meaning of the day.

1. Donate your time

There are so many ways you can participate. Fundraising or physically volunteering your time can be a big help for these organizations. Sites like Volunteer Match make choosing the right organization easy.

2. Send letters

Sending letters to soldiers can brighten up their day. A Million Thanks is an organization that helps get letters, cards, emails, prayers and pictures to soldiers all around the world.

3. Send flowers

Send a thank you bouquet through the National Memorial Day Foundation and have it be placed on the New York City War Memorials.

4. Attend a concert

There are many concerts happening on Memorial Day to celebrate the soldiers. Look in your local area and see what's happening. Or watch the live stream of the National Memorial Day Concert on PBS.

5. Go to the parade

There is a National Memorial Day Parade held at National Mall in Washington, DC. Here you can learn the history of Memorial Day and celebrate the living and departed soldiers. The parade starts at 2 pm.

6. Donate your cell phone

There is actually an organization called Cell Phones for Soldiers where you can help soldiers keep in contact with their family members. By either donating money or any old cell phones you have, this nonprofit helps get phones to soldiers all over the world.

7. Send care packages

Sending care packages to soldiers can really make them feel at home. Simple things like crackers, cookies, lotions or pictures can brighten any soldiers day. Operation We Are Here has some great suggestions on what you should and should not send and how to get your care package to the right place.

8. Fly the flag

Flying the flag is a great way to show your support. Of course, there is a proper way to do this. The proper flag etiquette says the flag be raised at half staff from sunrise till noon on Memorial Day and then raised to full staff for the rest of the day.

9. Participate in the moment of silence

Every Memorial Day there is a moment of silence. For exactly one minute at 3 p.m., Americans everywhere are encouraged to stop what they are doing and pay respect to our fallen heroes.

10. Prepare Memorial Day food

Of course, having a cookout on this day should not be looked down on. Gather up your family and friends and celebrate the fact that we are free because of our soldiers. Make the day even more festive by preparing some Memorial Day themed food from Foodie Crush. And if you know any veterans near you then invite them to join your cookout.

11. Remember the living as well

Even though this is a day to honor the fallen that don't mean we ignore the active duty members. There are many organizations working to help our surviving members. One of them is the Wounded Warrior Project helping wounded soldiers. Here are some other organizations you can look into.

12. Help surviving families

There are many ways to help surviving family members. One way is through donating to the USO. They offer programs that give the financial and emotional support these families need.

13. Donate blood

Blood is always something that is going to be needed. The American Red Cross always accepts people who want to make a difference and help out with their blood donations.

14. Adopt a grave

You can check to see if your military cemetery supports the Adopt a Grave Program. This program allows you to become the person in charge of a fallen soldier's grave. You are in charge of keeping it free of debris and you can decorate it with flowers and flags.

15. Donate online or through an app

Donating money is a great way to help organizations determined to help soldiers and their families. Of course, you may come across some organizations you have never even heard of before. Sites like Charity Navigator and apps like Givelify make it possible for you to not only donate online -- but you can pick the right organization for you, track your donation and see how much of a contribution you are actually making.

16. Create a photo book

Get together with some friends or neighbors and create a photo book of fallen heroes. PastBook allows you to gather up photos and electronically store them in a book for all to see.

17. Teach your kids about history

The simplest way to honor the true meaning of Memorial Day? Making sure our kids know what it is all about. Many kids do not know the history or meaning behind the day and just simply teaching them about it can instill a sense of pride in them.

18. Join the Memorial Day Facebook page

There is an official Memorial Day Facebook page that anyone can join. You can connect with other military families, read stories about our fallen heroes and share any stories you may have about your own hero.

19. Volunteer at cemeteries

One way you can be a big help is by volunteering at a military cemetery. There are a variety of things you can do to help. You can volunteer to help raise and lower the flags during Memorial Day. You can help keep the grounds maintained and free of weeds and debris. You can even volunteer to greet military families visiting their loved one's gravesite.

20. Share stories

If you have a story about a fallen hero then make sure to share it. Whether it be through Facebook or an article in a newspaper, getting the stories out there and making sure our fallen heroes aren't forgotten is what this day is all about.