Coats for Courage

The fight doesn’t pause when the weather turns cold. Too many of our veterans and their families face the harsh reality of winter without the basics they deserve. That's why this holiday season, we are launching Coats for Courage — a community drive to collect new or gently used coats for unhoused veterans and their families.

More than 32,000 veterans experience homelessness on any given night. Veterans are still overrepresented among the unhoused, often facing service-related trauma, disability, chronic health conditions, and barriers to care. Many are older adults living through extreme conditions with limited support. These realities reflect systemic failures, not personal ones. (Sources: VA Research; VA HSR&D; HUD PIT Count)

But it’s not just about warmth. It’s about courage — the courage our veterans have shown, and the courage we return to them in the form of solidarity. Along with coats, we’re also collecting positive notes, letters, and words of encouragement to be tucked inside a pocket of each donated coat. A reminder to every veteran that they are not forgotten, that this community sees them, and that hope is still alive.

Here’s how you can help:

Start your own coat collection in your community and donate the coats to an established, veteran-serving organization in the name of FAFO.
Write a note of courage to include with each coat you donate.
Send additional letters directly to FAFO at PO Box 1007, Hammonton, NJ 08037, and we will ensure they are placed inside donated coats.
Chip in if you’re able to help FAFO purchase hygiene products, coats, and cold-weather essentials.

Together, we’ll deliver warmth, dignity, and hope where it’s needed most.

Tool Kit can be accessed Here