Friends of Valley Brook is an organization that assists previously homeless veterans living at Valley Brook Village on the Veterans Administration campus at Lyons. Started by Steve Hackenberg in 2014, it provides food, clothing, and transportation, along with many other needs. Many of the volunteers have fostered close, personal relationships with the vets, and are there on an almost daily basis which provides them with the ability to assess needs in a unique and powerful way.
Thanks to the local businesses and their patrons that support its cause, food is provided on a continuous basis. Barbecues are held for Memorial Day, the 4th of July, and many other times during the summer months. Pizza and sub nights are scheduled year round to feed the residents, and on holidays, nice meals are prepared for them to enjoy. There are 64 residents living at Valley Brook, and not one is left out. Even though these vets now have homes, having enough food and meeting other basic needs is still a problem for many. This year, ground will be broken for Valley Brook 2, housing an additional 52 veterans on the VA campus in Lyons.
Friends of Valley Brook has collection jars in various delis, pizzerias, and restaurants in Central and Northern New Jersey: John's Meat Market, and Alfonso's Restaurant and Pizzeria, Nunzio’s Pizzeria, and Bagel Plus in Scotch Plains, Fabio's Bistro, Houdini Pizza Laboratory, Nick’s Pizza, Fanwood Grille, Sheelen’s Fish Company, and Rocko’s Ice Cream in Fanwood, Veneto Trattoria in Basking Ridge, Biagio's Italian Gourmet Specialties Bakery and Deli in Stirling, Natale's Pizza and Restaurant in Gillette, DiMaio's Cucina and The Sub Zone in Berkeley Heights, Zappia's Deli and Zappia's Pizzeria in Summit, Two Fish and Five Loaves in Union, and Deli King of Clark. They are also supported by English Farm in Basking Ridge, Red, White and Que Smokehouse in Kearny, Darby Road in Scotch Plains, Outback Steakhouse in Springfield, Texas Roadhouse in North Plainfield, Jozanna’s Fine Italian Restaurant in Middlesex and many other individual volunteers.
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Last year, Friends of Valley Brook started a Help Vets Pets program to feed and care for the pets, service and therapy dogs living at Valley Brook Village. Donation jars can be found at Pet Supplies Plus in Berkeley Heights, Wall and Hazlet, and Duke's Pet Den in Scotch Plains. Thanks to the owners and their customers, the program is flourishing. Not only do all the pets now have nutritious food and snacks to eat, but they have also been given new leashes, collars, and flea and tick prevention shampoo and drops. There is also a donation jar at the Berkeley Heights Animal Hospital to help with the cost of medical visits. These animals provide their owners with companionship, comfort and joy, and deserve to be taken care of as well.
Just recently, Friends of Valley Brook has added Salon Four, the Bearded Barber, and Spazio Nails in Scotch Plains to their list of supporters. Jars can be found in these three establishment and donations will be used to assist the male and female veterans getting back into the workforce with their appearance or to just make them feel better about themselves.
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Business owners who collect this money give back 100% of these donations in the form of food, products or services. Every cent donated is used to feed our veterans, and many of these business owners give back even more than collected. Money is never handled by FOVB volunteers; all donations go directly to the small businesses that support its causes.
People familiar with the organization donate furniture, clothes, cleaning supplies, personal products, DVD players, DVD's, CD's, and many other items. Once a request is made, Friends of Valley Brook does its best to meet the need. Howard’s Mission, which supplies clothes, shoes, food, and other desperately needed items on a continual basis, has also come to the assistance of these vets. Many of these services extend well beyond Valley Brook to include other veterans housed at the VA Hospital in Lyons, and several who have moved on after cycling out of other programs.
In addition to these programs, every November and December FOVB collects greeting cards and decorations made by children from all over the United States to brighten the vets holiday season. The cards are given to each resident, and the decorations are hung in the community room and resident's apartments.
The veterans are continually overwhelmed by the generosity of the people and businesses in their local community and surrounding towns. They feel truly appreciated and know that their sacrifices are being acknowledged all year round.
The organization would like to expand its range of businesses and the number of its volunteers. People are needed to drive the residents to doctor's offices, churches and other appointments, to tutor in various subjects, and assist in any way possible. Volunteers can give whatever time and talents they have; there are no minimum requirements.
For more information, please feel free to contact Steve Hackenberg at 908-723-0788 or dnea117@gmail.com. Also, please check out and like its Facebook page.
