In 2003, the Pittsburgh suburb of Upper St. Clair mourned the passing of three youth sports coaches who had a tremendously positive impact on the lives of many of the community’s children: Paul Garlitz, Bob Fornear and Joe Moore, Iowa Head Football Coach Kirk Ferentz’ High School football coach and mentor.

They were soon joined by Kirk’s dad John, another outstanding coach in the community.

In response and in conjunction with Jeff Joyce, a long-time friend and the son of a similar man, sons of Garlitz, Fornear and Ferentz established the Upper St. Clair Founders Memorial Fund.  It honors all whose volunteer efforts, particularly in the youth sports field, helped make the community what it is today.

The Founders Fund conducts a unique package of charity fundraising events, and in recent years has concentrated its efforts on supporting non-profits in the Pittsburgh area that help homeless military veterans.

The Founders Fund began to expand its efforts to a regional level in July 2011.

A prestigious Board of Directors was formed and on Sept. 19, 2011 September 2011, The Homeless Veterans Project, Inc. was incorporated in Pennsylvania.  Confirmation of IRS 501(c) (3)status was received on December 23, 2011 under Federal EIN 45-3456272.

To properly conduct business pending IRS application approval, The Homeless Veterans Project partnered with an existing, veteran operated non-profit that addresses homelessness.  Accordingly, we were temporarily known as “The Feed My Sheep Association’s Homeless Veteran Project”.

Members of the Homeless Veterans Project Board of Directors and our State Boards of Governors serve without compensation and at their own expense.

Legal Counsel is provided pro bono by Pepper Hamilton LLC, a 121 year old Philadelphia based law firm with extensive non-profit experience. Pittsburgh office Managing Partner, Richard Thomas, Esq., serves on our Board of Directors.

Accounting services are also provided pro bono by the 40 year old Pittsburgh firm, Case Sabatini. They were chosen in large part due to the extensive volunteer Board of Directors experience of principal Gilbert Davis on a wide range of area non-profits.

Our initial website was designed and executed pro bono by Pittsburgh based Gatesman Marmion.

Pro bono IT services, website development and infrastructure are courtesy of Loud Mountain, Inc., the first digital job exchange.

Our Fall 2011 PSAs were produced by Upper Cut Studios, also pro bono.

All Homeless Veteran Project expenditures will be in keeping with the above-cited efforts to secure as much pro bono assisitance as possible.

Administrative costs will be capped at 4% of gross income, so at least (if not more than) 96% of all donations will go directly to helping veterans in need.

Our sincere thanks to Dennis McNally, Little Feat, The Paul Barrere and Fred Tackett Acoustic Duo, Great American Taxi, Pure Prairie League, ekoostik hookah, Steeltown, Fungus, Copperhead Road, Roy’s By The Tracks, Altar, Drusky Entertainment, Gray Area Productions, The Cropdusters and all who helped make the Founders Fund (and its signature event, The BurghSTOCK Concert Series) a success.

Without their early support and inspirational, ongoing efforts to help end veteran homelessness, The Homeless Veterans Project would not exist. Visit our VetsSTOCK page to learn more.