Volunteer Spotlight
Margaret Bender
Savina Indelicato
Dave Barry
Dave Barry, a 14-year-veteran and TD Bank Executive, serves as a volunteer and relationship builder for General Needs. He and his family are active in the community, serving veterans as well as multiple other causes they’re passionate about, such as autism awareness. He is especially enthusiastic, however, about serving veterans because he knows that the work that General Needs does is so vital to homeless veterans.
Nancy Moffett
Nancy Moffett, a Kiwanian, met Lonnie a few years ago at a presentation he did for her chapter. She was instantly sold and knew that she wanted to become a part of General Needs. Assisting veterans is a cause that is near and dear to her heart, because her father served in World War II and her uncles served as well. She’s participated in honor flights in Washington DC in the past. When she first joined General Needs, she worked on multiple distributions throughout the area, and found fulfillment in the camaraderie she developed with fellow volunteers and the folks she served. Over the past year, she’s served as the recording secretary for General Needs. Her most memorable experience was a year ago at the Dennison Building at a distribution when she saw a man walk up to her with tears in his eyes, thanking her and General Needs for making a difference in his life. Moments like these struck Nancy and makes her whole experience volunteering with General Needs worth it. Nancy’s work with General Needs is much appreciated!
Linda Azzara
Linda Azzara, an accountant by trade, serves as the treasurer of General Needs. She’s served as treasurer of multiple PTA organizations in the past, and wanted to continue serving as a treasurer after her children graduated from school.
She went to an event at the VA for a healing garden and met Lonnie and Susan who were painting, immediately feeling like she was included in General Needs. She feels called to serve because she wants to be involved in her community and give back. She participates in multiple distributions along with her role as treasurer.
Bob Kozlowsky
Ever since then, he’s been extremely active in the community. He states that being able to see how Homes for the Brave and General Needs affects people and the dedication that Lonnie and Susan have shown really inspired him and showed him what it means to truly give your all to a noble cause.
Burim Regjaj
Burim Regjaj, owner of Outta Hand Pizza in Westfield, NJ and volunteer with Rotary Club, has volunteered alongside General Needs for years. He got his start within Rotary Club providing basic accommodations to homeless veterans. Through this initiative he became acquainted with Lonnie and General Needs and became interested in General Needs’ message. Continue Reading
Brenda Leigh Johnson
Brenda Leigh Johnson, also New York Governor of Kiwanis International, joined General Needs through her work with Kiwanis International. About a decade ago, when General Needs was starting to become influential throughout the area, she heard a presentation from General Needs at a Kiwanis meeting and said that she was “impressed” with the work that was being done. She knew she believed in the message of General Needs and decided to join. Continue Reading
Judy Emiliano
Judy Emiliano is one of the most active and important volunteers to General Needs, as a former NYPD officer, she was inspired to serve veterans after serving alongside the military on 9/11. She remarked her admiration for how “military persons[s] [don’t] ask ‘who is this?’ [or] ‘do I wanna help them?’ they just do it.
This admiration led her to serve homeless veterans with General Needs. As a volunteer with General Needs, she’s in charge of the storage facility and distribution of materials to veterans. Lately, she’s been working on duffel bags that contain towels, washcloths, toiletries, and many other essentials that will help veterans remain as secure as possible during the winter.
Nancy Rocker
Nancy Rocker is a volunteer who collects and donates yarn to General Needs. She is a part of a couple knitting groups that knit blankets. She noticed that a lot of her knitting friends had a lot of extra yarn, so she decided to donate it to General Needs because its members knit beautiful blankets for homeless veterans. She was inspired to donate the yarn after hearing Lonnie speak at a Veterans Day celebration luncheon sponsored by the Sayville Rotary Club. Lonnie spoke about his organization, and Nancy was immediately interested in volunteering.