FSC Vets Collect Coats for Vets Without Homes

March 9, 2020

Veterans Affairs work-study student, Jamilyn Butto ’20, recently suggested a coat drive for homeless veterans to VA Director Eric Farina. Coats would be collected and donated to the United Veterans Beacon House, in Bay Shore. Final tally: 53 coats, sweaters, and sweatshirts.

“I knew this was going to have a great impact on the homeless vets living in those shelters,” said Farina, also advisor to Student Veterans of America.

The project was manned by student-veterans, volunteers from Farina’s History 332 class, and directors from Student Affairs. This act of service had a particular impact on U.S. Marine vet Kim Forte ’23, who had been a resident at a Beacon House shelter for several months.

“I got a little emotional when I heard Eric announce the project, and who would receive the coats,” Forte says. “I knew what a great job they do to help Long Island veterans in need. I was one of them.”

(L-R) Dan Hayes, Kim Forte, Scott Twinning, Ronaldo Kainama, Neru Lall, Eric Farina, Lauren Handy, Matt Warner