About Ytown Blue Coats

All money raised goes back into items for the homeless.

"In America, Nobody Should Freeze to Death."

Youngstown Blue Coats Nighttime distribution to homeless

Our mission at Youngstown Blue Coats is to prevent the freezing and injury caused by extreme weather exposure to the homeless and financially destitute Americans, with a special focus on military veterans.

 

The Youngstown Blue Coats is run entirely by volunteers. Transportation, fuel and other incidentals have been provided by our members. Donations consist of gently used and serviceable material items.

 

Our intent is to continue to collect sleeping bags and other warming items and distribute these directly to the homeless. Additionally, we look to fundraisers, concentrated donation drives using email, social media, phones and direct request to raise additional monetary donations. These donations will be used to support our mission of providing for the homeless wherever we find them.

 

We advocate for those who need our help. Even a little goes a long way. That is why we are especially happy to find new volunteers who share our commitment to finding those exposed to the elements and offering them warming items.


We'd like for you to meet our newest member


Alexander J. Luke

 

Our bus, Alexander, comes to us from The Sub Zero Mission as a donation to help support our mission. Alexander is named after a war hero and silver star recipient. Read his story to the left. Clicking the image will magnify the story!


Our Board

Youngstown Blue Coats 501c(3)

Board of Directors/Advisory Board Members


Our board of directors members is thoughtful leaders who have significantly contributed to our society. Youngstown Blue Coats depends entirely on volunteers, and all funds raised go directly to meet its goals.

Patty Summers, President, CEO & Founder


Patty Summers is the President, CEO and Founder of Youngstown Blue Coats (YBC), a 501c(3) non-profit organization founded in 2017.   Based on her long-time experience working with area homeless veterans and other homeless individuals, Patty saw the need for a group which actively served area homeless individuals, including identifying where they live and caring for and assisting them, outdoors where they lived, especially during winter. 


YBC’s mission is straightforward, “In America, nobody should freeze to death.”  Patty and her team collect and, during winter, distribute warming items (socks, coats, boots, gloves, hats, sleeping bags, ground mats, tents and more) to homeless individuals in the greater Youngstown /Warren and Sharon regional areas.  She advocates for those who need assistance of any kind, health-related and otherwise, and she and her team work with diverse area agencies to provide each individual they encounter the resources that person needs.


Patty and her team are all volunteers; YBC depends entirely on volunteers.  This ensures that any and all donations (cash and non-cash) benefit the homeless directly.

Roseann Panning, Vice-President


Roseann Panning is Vice-Presidentof Youngstown Blue Coats (YBC).Roseann (Rosie) has been actively involved with YBC since 2018 when she first learned about the group and its mission. She had collected winter coats and was bring them to donate to a YBC coat drive at the Hubbard, Ohio City Administration Building that day in 2018. What she discovered at that drive, meeting YBC volunteers and understanding their mission to help homeless veterans and other homeless convinced her to join the group and get involved. Prior to Blue Coats, and after retiring from more than 41 years working in Nutrition Services at local hospital, Roseann had provided care for her grandson Easton until he started school. In addition to her services as Vice-President, Roseann is ‘Master’ of our Basket Auction efforts! She is expert at assembling and marketing diverse and attractive baskets for auction at virtually all our fundraisers and other events. Roseann’s passion for YBC’s mission is particularly beautiful as she is married to a veteran (25 years of service in the US military) and, thus, she knows first-hand the issues and challenges that veterans may experience. 

John Stun, Photographer / Historian

 

John Stun has been actively involved withYBC since 2018, and serves as Photographer and Historian for the organization. John comments, “I lost my wife in 2015, and I wanted to volunteer and devote my time to assisting others. I already knew Kathy (Kathy Marshall, YBC Treasurer) from the St. Patrick’s Food Pantry, and she recruited me to volunteer with the Food Pantry and with YBC as well. I have a pickup truck and a trailer, both very useful items for the Food Pantry and Blue Coats and their missions.” John continues, “Blue Coats is a wonderful agency, and helps many people through its distributions of coats and boots and other items to homeless vets and other homeless, and with YBC’s other activities.” John’s commitment to Blue Coats also reflects the numerous, impressive military connections of his family; in particular, both of his sons-in-law are marines, one retired and the other active. In addition, his grandson is a marine.John’s photographs on behalf of Blue Coats can be viewed on the YBC website and Facebook pages.

John Johnston, Secretary

& Veterans Liaison

 

John has been extremely active member in Youngstown Blue Coats (YBC) since joining in January 2020 and currently serves as Secretary and Veteran Liaison.John is also a veteran. He served in two branches of American military; as a Marine for six years and subsequently in the Air Force Reserves. His volunteer service has been impressive throughout his life. He served in the Peace Corps in the Philippines; as a medic in mountains of Honduras; and he worked with Veteran Treatment Court to assist veterans with legal issues. Once ‘retired,’ John wanted to continue to give back to his community through YBC.  His dedication to Blue Coats includes all aspects of the tasks and services of YBC, including collections of warming items, distributions of these items, assisting at fundraisers, collecting data at events, and beyond. “Many veterans need us,” John explains, “especially the homeless. They often need information and feel more comfortable talking to another veteran. We enrich their lives. People need us; and we must do what we can to help them.”


Richard Roth, Transportation Supervisor

 

Richard (Rick) Rothhas been actively involved with YBC since 2018. Prior to his retirement in August 2018, Rick drove trucks hauling cars for the automotive industry so this was the perfect match for his skills and talents. Rick states, “In 2018, I learned about Youngstown Blue Coats, this amazing non-profit group that distributes warming items to homeless veterans and other homeless. They have a beautiful mission, ‘In America, nobody should freeze to death.’ We use a refurbished school bus to distribute our warming items to the homeless at shelters, recovery centers, other locations—including homes living outdoors—to prevent injury to assist with their other needs. I drive this bus, and am proud to do so. We are all volunteers in YBC and we serve the homeless from our hearts. There are no ulterior motives. And, importantly, I am now giving back to this group and to my community. I am proud and positive! ”Rick also actively participates in YBC fundraisers, other pickups and deliveries and all YBC activities and events.

Pat Maiorca, Executive Board Member

 

 Pat Maiorcaserves on the Board of YBC as its Executive BoardMember. Pat has been actively involved with YBC from its beginning and founding in 2017. In fact, she had volunteered with YBC President and Founder Patty Summers on coat drives for homeless veterans since 2012, prior to the founding of Blue Coats. Pat’s commitment to volunteerism and passion on behalf of giving back to her community is indeed impressive. In addition to dedicating her time, talents and skills to YBC, Pat volunteers with St. Patrick’s Church (Hubbard, Ohio) Food Pantry. Pat comments that “I just want to help people in need. There are so many persons in today’s world who are in need; for example, people who are low-income, unemployed or in need for other reasons, including our veterans, and I can make a positive and encouraging difference by giving my time and assistance.” Before her current life committed to volunteerism, Pat worked for more than 30 years in various Federal Aviation Administration positions at the Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport in Vienna, Ohio.

 

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