Drive for region's homeless veterans underway

BRISTOL, Tenn. – With the holiday season fast approaching, singer April Taylor is again enlisting the region to help deliver some Christmas cheer to homeless veterans.

For the third consecutive year, Taylor is spearheading a drive to collect Christmas care packages for homeless veterans in the Tri-Cities area. Modeled after Samaritan’s Purse and its Operation Christmas Child program, this grass-roots effort provides needed items to veterans who live outside mainstream society.

Last year, the public response generated about 900 reusable shopping bags filled with clothing, hygiene items, candy and small gifts.

“The community really makes this happen,” Taylor said. “We’ve had churches, youth groups and businesses, civic groups and Scout troops all stepping up and that’s what it takes.”

The gifts are distributed to homeless veterans staying at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Johnson City and area homeless shelters.

“When we go and hand out those gift bags, that is Christmas for me. I don’t need anything else, because they are so appreciative,” Taylor said.

In 2008, most of the gifts came in brightly wrapped boxes, but last year donors switched to reusable canvas shopping bags – which were much more functional and popular, Taylor said.

The Appalachian Regional Council on Homelessness based in Johnson City estimates there are at least 700 homeless veterans in the region and the actual number is likely much higher.

“Our [total] homeless population has gone from 840 in January 2009 to 3,500 on July 1. We have lots of people living in cars and people with kids living in cars,” ARCH Executive Director Dreama Shreve said. “And that’s only in our 24-hour snapshot. HUD [Housing and Urban Development] says for every one we count we miss one.”

Almost 300 homeless veterans typically stay in the VA domiciliary in Johnson City and, last year, additional bags were distributed to others in the hospital and area shelters.

The drive begins today – Veteran’s Day – and the deadline is Dec. 15. Taylor and a group of volunteers will distribute the gifts on Dec. 17.

This year’s drop-off location will be the National Guard Armory on Bluff City Highway in Bristol, Tenn.

Food City has donated some lightweight bags, which are available at the armory, or people can supply their own, Taylor said.

“Veterans are not just the elderly and they’re not just men. There are men and women right here – in their 20s, 30s and 40s – who fought for our country. These people put their lives on the line for us, so we can do what we do every day,” Taylor said.

The military embraced Taylor after her first single “Hero at Home” paid tribute to wives of soldiers. She has performed at the Pentagon, visited the Walter Reed Medical Center in Washington, D.C., and continues working with Fisher House, a national program that provides temporary housing for the families of hospitalized veterans.

Taylor is dedicating this year’s drive to her late grandfather, Billy Douglas Morrell, a decorated 20-year Army veteran who fought in Korea. He died earlier this year and was buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

“Going to that funeral really put all this into perspective for me. Because, at the same time, there were two other funerals going on nearby. My grandfather lived a long life, but there are young people dying for our freedoms,” Taylor said.

Suggested items include fleece blankets, gloves, scarves, knit caps, socks, Bibles, hard candy, soap, deodorant and other hygiene items, small games and  playing cards.

For more information, contact Renee Valdov at (276) 494-6526.

dmcgee@bristolnews.com | (276) 645-2532