United Veterans Beacon House raises $460K in record-breaking haul
Bay Shore-based United Veterans Beacon House (UVBH), Long Island’s hometown veterans support agency, broke fund-raising records at its annual gala this month.
Held at the Heritage Club at Bethpage on Thursday, May 7, the revamped event raised $460,000, surpassing last year’s take by more than $100,000.
Traditionally, the annual Beacon House Gala features a cocktail hour and sit-down dinner, and a one-hour formal presentation. This year, however, UVBH Vice President Tina Sferrazza conjured a new concept that instead featured multiple food and drink stations throughout the venue.
Also added this year was the gaming room, where enthusiastic attendees purchased chips to play blackjack and roulette. All gaming proceeds went to support agency programs.
“It’s always a little risky when you change something that people have been used to for a number of years,” said Frank Amalfitano, president and CEO of United Veterans Beacon House. “We’ve had 15 annual galas, and this year we decided to do something different. It worked. Not only did we raise more money than ever to help our veterans, feedback was overwhelmingly positive.”
The gala for the first time included a cigar bar (outside), an abbreviated presentation and a “wall” of honorees, where sponsors chose to honor specific veterans. For example, Suffolk County OTB President and UVBH board member Phil Boyle honored posthumously his father, Philip Boyle Jr., who served in the Army’s 11th Airborne Division in the early 1950’s.
“We didn’t know going in how people, who were used to the old format, would react,” said Sferrazza. “But everything went great, including the live auction that generated over $70,000 alone.”
All proceeds go to fill gaps in funding to support veteran programs.
The Pizzeria was honored as Community Partner of the Year after its month-long campaign across seven pizzeria locations raised more than $100,000 and funded the purchase of a new 12-passenger van for veterans in need.
“We understand that raising money is very competitive, and that donors have many options to support worthy causes. I guess this year shows that people really love veterans,” said Amalfitano.
United Veterans Beacon House is a Long Island-based nonprofit founded in 1994 by Vietnam veterans to address homelessness and instability among U.S. veterans and veteran families. The organization provides emergency, transitional, and permanent supportive housing, along with individualized wraparound services that help veterans achieve long term stability and independence.
Beacon House currently manages 58 housing locations across Nassau and Suffolk counties, providing housing to more than 600 veterans annually. In addition, the organization delivers critical supportive services to veterans living independently throughout the community. Since its founding, Beacon House has supported more than 31,500 veterans through housing, case management, legal assistance, employment and benefits navigation, transportation support, and targeted unmet needs services.
