VCS customers donate 7,000+ items to help homeless Veterans

All items to Veterans in need

During the season of giving, the patrons of Veterans Canteen Service (VCS) did their part and collected more than 7,000 donated items at PatriotStores throughout VA. As part of VCS’s 12 Days of Holidays campaign, VCS encouraged patrons to buy essential items in the PatriotStore and leave them in convenient donation boxes, with items all going to Veterans in need.

Sixteen Canteens received donations of 100 units or more, with the PatriotStore in Clarksburg, W.V. leading the way, receiving 1,404 items.

The donation drive kicked off on Giving Tuesday, Dec. 2. Donated items included backpacks, blankets, shoes, socks, cold-weather clothing, personal hygiene items and non-perishable foods.

“On Giving Tuesday, a global day dedicated to giving back, the VCS launched an incredible campaign that mobilized many generous patrons to support Veterans served by The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Homeless Program,” said Dr. Matthew Eitutis, acting director, VA Center for Development & Civic Engagement. “Thanks to the initiative of VCS and the remarkable generosity of its patrons, over 7,000 items were donated. It is truly commendable that during the holiday season, the VCS team prioritized giving back to our nation’s heroes through this highly successful campaign.”

Vietnam-era Veteran Jim Barrante, a native of Erie County, Pa., who currently lives in Germany, sent a check for $200 to be used to purchase needed items at the Erie VA Canteen.

“Keeping our Veterans warm for those residing up north this time of the year is most important,” Barrante said. “We Veterans support one another and especially the homeless, who need help all year around—not just Christmas.”

Find more information about volunteering with VA. For a directory of VCS locations, visit the VCS location directory. Find more stories about help for homeless Veterans and VCS.

About VCS

Established by Congress in 1946, Veterans Canteen Service is celebrating 80 years of providing reasonably priced merchandise and services essential to the comfort, health and well-being of America’s Veterans enrolled in VA health care. VCS delivers its mission in nearly 200 VA medical centers and clinics, providing retail, café, coffee, vending, retail optical and many other customer-facing services. As an integral part of the VA community, VCS is also a benefit for the caregivers, family members, volunteers, visitors and VA employees who all strive to improve the Veteran experience. The 3,000 dedicated VCS employees deliver this benefit to Veterans in 49 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.