Livingston Philanthropies founder and director Jeff “The Coat Guy” Friedman has reminded residents that there is still time to donate coats to help fulfill the Livingston Coat Drive’s goal of delivering 1,000 coats by the end of 2016. “It’s December 29, and we’re hoping to have collected the 200 additional coats we need to hit the 1,000 mark by the end of 2016,” says Friedman. “We are asking our philanthropic friends and neighbors to dig deep for the poor, homeless, and disenfranchised.”
Meanwhile, although the Coat Guy is spending New Year’s in Maine, he is keeping busy there too, helping out a local shelter. “I saved a box of brand new teddy bears, donated by a generous Livingston resident, to bring north,” he notes. “After all, there is lots of homelessness and similar issues in Maine, as there is everywhere.”
Friedman decided to research Maine’s northern-most and most remote county, Aroostook. “Locally, folks call it ‘the County,’ ” he says. “I found a 501(c)(3) called the Maliseet Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Program and Shelter. It handles ten families at a time, providing shelter, food, social services, medical assistance, and so much more. Upon further research, I learned that the shelter and associated programs are part of the larger Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians. Before contact with Europeans, the Maliseets occupied much of what is now considered the eastern border line of the U.S. and Canada in northern New England.”
The mission of the Maliseet Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Center and program is “to effect change within the tribal community, where respect and non-violence become the cornerstone of all relationships.” Learning that the shelter is currently housing young children, the Coat Guy took the teddy bears there.
Friedman noted, “I’m feeling way positive about our budding relationship with part of Maine’s Native American community. The teddies arrived in Houlton, Maine, just in time for Christmas. I plan to next ship a box of toiletries gift bags to the Maliseets.”
He continues, “Need is everywhere. You just need to reach out to find it.”
Back home in Livingston, the Coat Guy notes that his “Personal Shopping for the Homeless” initiative has been doing well. “New items have been coming in like crazy. We’re talking huge bags of coats from Burlington Coat Factory, Marshall’s and other stores. Gloves, hats, socks, underwear, you name it. Thank you, Livingston, for stepping up, as usual. And, please, ‘If you see something,
