This month, we were honored to share a major milestone with our sweet friend Anthony Muoio and his "Army" as he celebrated his two year anniversary of being tumor-free.

On September 24, 2014, at just five months of age, Anthony was diagnosed with a rare pediatric brain tumor. As soon as the family had absorbed the news, the neurological team at Yale-New Haven Children's Hospital put the wheels in motion to perform a life-saving surgery on young Anthony.

Having been touched by the outpouring of love they received from the hospital staff, friends, family, and complete strangers, the Muoio family formed Anthony's Army--a nonprofit dedicated to "paying it forward" to those in-need.

With Sunday football and cheers for our favorite teams in background, Anthony's Army served a delicious sausage & pepper dinner while the star of the show (Anthony of course) passed out candy and belly laughs. After dinner, the Army distributed Anthony's signature Bags of Hope--collections of necessities for anyone who needs a little boost, from families in the NICU to the men and women we serve.

"A boy once taught me that sometimes you need a little help in life to get you through the tough times. Then he met a group of guys who knew the same," said Anthony's mom, Sarah. "Today, we  couldn't think of a better place to celebrate two years of being tumor free than bringing these two together. Anthony wanted to help them, but they can't imagine how much they helped all of us in return."

Thank you, Muoio Family, Anthony's Army, and HFTB residents for sharing good food, good times, and--most importantly--the hope we all gain from your wins.

General Needs

On September 1, our dear friends at General Needs  kicked off our month by donating a new pair of sneakers to each of the men and women in our programs. 

Based in Long Island, General Needs  provides basic necessities like clothing, toiletries, and bedding to  homeless U.S. Veterans through charitable donations and support. We were so touched that they chose to cross the Sound and expand their reach to Connecticut's soldiers. Thank you, Susan, Lonnie, and General Needs Team!

Note: General Needs' representatives have formed relationships with retailers to purchase the goods they donate at low wholesale prices. However, they depend on monetary contributions to procure the items our Vets require most and currently need some assistance. To ensure that these generous individuals can continue to serve Veterans experiencing homelessness, please visit generalneeds.org.

Synchrony Financial & buildOn

Earlier this month, approximately 60 Synchrony Financial employees gathered to enjoy food, art, and friendship all in the name of raising funds and awareness for Veteran homelessness. Through its Paint Nite event, Synchrony's Veteran Employee Resource Group raised $900 for ABRI's three programs.

We were thrilled to see familiar Synchrony faces again this week when they returned to prepare dinner alongside our monthly volunteers from buildOn. The financial experts and local high school students teamed up beautifully to turn out a delicious, laid-back taco night, complete with all the fixings and lots of laughs.

Synchrony & buildOn: We are so grateful for your teamwork and dedication to our Veterans!

Fall Meals with Friends

Thank you to all of the individuals, companies, organizations, and families that put forth the effort to break bread with us this month. We appreciate your kindness and company more than you know!