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URI police officer, student veterans collect, donate coats, other items for homeless veterans

Ocean State Job Lot donates bulk of goods for effort

COATS FOR VETS: Members of URI’s Department of Public Safety display coats and other items they collected from Ocean State Job Lot for veterans without homes. From left are: Shawn Miner, coordinator of Public Safety Outreach, Christin Readey, coordinator of Public Safety, and Police Cpl. Paul Hanrahan, an Air Force veteran who is in charge of URI’s Community Policing Unit. Photo courtesy of URI Public Safety.

KINGSTON, R.I. – March 7, 2024 – With low temperatures in Rhode Island averaging about 30 degrees in March and about 40 degrees in April, more than 200 veterans who find themselves without a home are benefiting from the generosity and efforts of a University of Rhode Island police officer, the University’s Greek community, URI Student Veterans Organization and Ocean State Job Lot.

Police Cpl. Paul Hanrahan received a $700 donation from URI’s fraternities and sororities, and he enlisted the help of his wife, Colleen, and their four children—Ryan and Michaela, both URI alumni; current URI nursing student Alexa; and Erin, a North Kingstown High School student —to establish a coats for veterans program.

But without the help of Ocean State Job Lot, Hanrahan’s efforts would not have had as great an impact. The discount chain headquartered in North Kingstown donated 192 coats and 100 Job Lot buckets containing coats and essentials like socks and hygiene products, along with string bags and sweatshirts emblazoned with the URI Police logo.

“All together, the Job Lot donations came to about $10,000,” said Hanrahan, a North Kingstown resident. “Job Lot tends to avoid publicity for these things, but I’d like Rhode Islanders to know how much it invests in our state and its people. I also want to thank the Greek community for its continuing generosity to make URI and the state’s communities better places. Finally, I couldn’t do this without the hands and hearts of my wonderful family.”

Michael Jagoda, chief of URI Police and director of the Department of Public Safety, praised Hanrahan’s efforts.

“I want to commend Cpl. Hanrahan for his hard word, dedication and commitment,” Jagoda said. “He continues to be a valuable member of our community, and his efforts have made our community policing model one that truly works in partnership with all community members. The model addresses concerns and quality of life issues in an effort to make a positive difference and enhance safety and security in our community.”

In addition to their support of the coat drive, URI’s fraternities and sororities have donated $5,000 for school supply purchases for URI’s Kids, Cops and Classroom campaign.

RHODY ASSIST FOR OPERATION STAND DOWN: From left to right: Megan Hughes, president of the URI Student Veterans Organization, Josh Boccanfuso, of Operation Stand Down Rhode Island, Tyrone Smith, of Operation Stand Down Rhode Island, and Chantel Rosario, graduate assistant at URI’s Center for Military and Veteran Education, collect food and other items for veterans. Submitted photo.

  

“It’s great to highlight the efforts the University makes on behalf of veterans,” said Bob Flynn, director of URI’s Center for Military and Veteran Education. “What Paul and our student veterans are doing not only creates interest in the University and our departments, but it responds to a great need.”

In the fall, the URI Student Veterans Organization ran a food drive, coat drive with the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Post 8955, in Westerly, and a Rhode Island Historical Cemetery cleanup near URI’s Narragansett Bay Campus. Last month, the group sponsored a campus blood drive.

“Our student veterans take the lead in helping their fellow veterans,” Flynn said. “They are very active, and proud of what they do.”