Christmas In July: Donation Drive For 255 Homeless Veterans Underway In Bedminster

BEDMINSTER, NJ — A Bedminster-based nonprofit is collecting donations for 255 former servicemen and women through its annual Christmas in July drive, with drop-off locations at the Bedminster Township Police Department and two other local sites.

Independence for Veterans, a registered 501(c)(3) based in Bedminster, is gathering brand-new items from July 1 through Aug. 1 for veterans currently residing at the Lyons and Glen Gardner housing facilities. Organizers say all items collected will be hand-delivered directly to the veterans.

Only new items will be accepted. Requested donations include:

• Toiletries such as shampoo, lip balm, deodorant, razors, shaving cream, toothpaste, mouthwash, body wash and loofahs

• Hand soap, hand wipes, hand sanitizer and body lotion

• Bedding, including new blankets, pillows and sheets

• Clothing for both men and women, including pants, shorts, sweatpants, underwear, shirts, socks, sleepwear and undershirts

• Shoes, slippers and sandals

• Gift cards, including prepaid calling cards and ShopRite, Target and Walmart cards

• Tupperware and thermoses

• Laundry detergent and dryer sheets

• Paper products such as paper towels and tissues

• Crock-Pots, coffee makers and electric hotplates or burners

• Sunscreen and sunglasses

Items can be dropped off at the Bedminster Township Police Department, 55 Miller Lane, Bedminster (questions: 908-212-7000); Pluckemin Presbyterian Church, 279 US-202 #206, Pluckemin (contact Chris Staffin at 908-658-3344); and Citizens Bank, 375 Route 202/206 South, Pluckemin (contact Nalini Howell at 908-719-6750).

The nonprofit was founded by Stacia McDonough, who has worked alongside veterans for more than two decades. She has said the organization's mission was inspired by her late husband, John E. McDonough, a decorated Vietnam veteran and U.S. Air Force sergeant who served with the 21st Tactical Air Support Squadron in Saigon, Nha Trang and An Loc. He was posthumously inducted into the New Jersey Vietnam Veterans' Memorial in Holmdel in 2008.

According to the organization, proceeds from its fundraising are used to supply permanent housing for homeless veterans at no cost to them, noting that on any given night roughly 40,000 homeless veterans are sleeping on the streets in the U.S.

For more information, visit i4v.org.

Have a correction or news tip? Email sarah.salvadore@patch.com