General Needs donates a record amount of boots to veterans in need
Imagine boxes of boots stacked 1,046 feet high — equal to the height of New York’s iconic Chrysler Building — all donated to veterans who are homeless or in need of economic assistance.
That staggering amount of boots is what General Needs, a Northport-based nonprofit organization dedicated to helping veterans with items like coats, socks, bedding, and boots, has collected in donations last year.
Since its inception in 2008, General Needs has provided 9,029 coats, 55,555 pairs of socks, 3,300 pillows and 10,224 boots — including a record 2,113 boots in 2024 — to men and women who served in the United States armed forces but have since fallen on hard times. All the products donated by General Needs are new and unused and are either donated or purchased at a discount.
“Our concern was that there were many homeless veterans who lacked proper and essential clothing and access to services, including healthcare, mental health services and most importantly, suicide prevention,” explains Lonnie Sherman, who, with his wife Susan, created General Needs to help an underserved, often undercounted population after volunteering at the Northport VA Medical Center. “In conversations with the veterans and the social work staff, it became apparent that the residents needed simple, everyday items such as underwear, socks, and t-shirts, rarely donated to the shelters that housed homeless veterans.”
From there, General Needs has primarily assisted veterans in New York, distributing 1519 pairs of boots, but also serves those in New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and New Hampshire.
“We are pleased to be able to provide comfort and hope for the brave men and women who have served but now need our help,” added Susan Sherman. She emphasized that General Needs doesn’t just give goods and services “but provides these items with dignity, which makes a world of difference in the lives of those who support us as well as the veterans we help.”
In addition to clothing, General Needs also provides personal care items and household goods, including kitchenware, small appliances, bedding and furniture to veterans.For more information on how to help General Needs fulfill its mission to help veterans in need, visit www.generalneeds.org.
