Region – Sweats for Vets is in its fourth year of providing clothing to homeless veterans in Massachusetts. In 2013, they donated 370 Boston team sweatshirts that were passed out at the Veterans, Inc., homeless shelter in Worcester and the New England Center for Homeless Veterans in Boston.
The initiative was started by Mark Vital, a veteran and a sixth-grade teacher at Advanced Math and Science Academy Charter School (AMSA) in Marborough, as a way to provide sports-related sweatshirts to homeless veterans at Christmastime.
“We were short about 100 sweatshirts for the veterans attending the Christmas luncheon in Boston,” Vital said “This year we hope to raise enough sweatshirts to support the two largest homeless shelters here in New England, and it won’t be easy.”
The campaign has already started off well with donations from the Marlborough Veterans Council, the Marlborough Chapter of Disabled Veterans, and the Marlborough American Hellenic Educations Progressive Association (AHEPA). Even with these wonderful gifts to Sweats for Vets, many more are needed, Vital noted, adding that there are estimated between 800 to a 1,000 homeless veterans in New England. Having a brand new Boston Bruins or New England Patriots sweatshirt always brings a smile to veterans during the holiday season, he said.
To make a donation, or to sponsor a work site campaign, contact Vital at [email protected] or visit http://www.sweats4vets.com. Sweatshirt donations may be dropped off at Julio’s Liquor, 140 Turnpike Road, Westborough, Finnegan’s Pub, 25 South St. #5, Hudson, the Italian American Club, 111 Neil St., Marlborough, or AMSA, 201 Forest St., Marlborough.