New Kensington teen's Eagle Scout project benefits homeless veterans

After delivering care packages he had assembled for homeless veterans, Nick Graham had an opportunity to speak with a veteran who had walked in to the offices of the nonprofit Veterans Leadership Program in Pittsburgh’s Strip District.

“Seeing how someone who fought for our freedom and fought for our country comes back to nothing, and our country doesn’t reward them and doesn’t help them off the streets, it’s sad,” said Graham, 19, of New Kensington.

Graham led a team that assembled 60 care packages for his Eagle Scout project, and earned Boy Scouting’s highest rank in December after successfully completing the Eagle Scout Board of Review.

Each package included a toothbrush, toothpaste, facial tissues, body wipes, hat, gloves, socks, hand warmers, deodorant, reusable water bottle, can opener and a McDonald’s gift card, all placed in a reusable drawstring bag.

“He put a lot of thought into it,” said Jessica King, a case manager at the Veterans Leadership Program. “It wasn’t like your average care package. There was a lot of stuff there. The gift card was a huge difference for the veterans.”

The veterans who received them were appreciative.

“They were very thankful that a high schooler, or an Eagle Scout, thought about them,” King said.

The eldest of Michael and Tracie Graham’s two sons, Nick started in scouting when he was in first grade in the New Kensington-Arnold School District. He graduated from Valley High School in 2021 and is now attending Indiana University of Pennsylvania.

Only one other scout who started in his troop when Nick did reached the Eagle rank, Tracie Graham said.

Nick admits there were times he got bored in scouting, and it was his parents who convinced him to stay with it.

“There was a time where he wanted to quit,” Tracie Graham said. “He pushed through and stuck with it. Now, he’s happy that he did.”

After deciding to do a project involving veterans, Tracie Graham got Nick in touch with King, who she already knew. In addition to her involvement with the Veterans Leadership Program, King, a Marine veteran, is commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars District 29, which covers Allegheny County.

“She’s a big advocate for the homeless veterans. They talked about what items the veterans would need or would be beneficial to them,” Tracie Graham said. “They worked together and came up with the ideas of what types of items would go in the bags and what types of bags.”

To get the money to buy everything that would go in them, Nick and other members of his troop, Troop 134 in the Japeechen District, sought donations from shoppers outside Walmart in Frazer. Over two days, they were given nearly $1,300.

Tracie Graham said there was one man who said he had no money on him, ran to his car and came back with a cup full of change and gave it all.

“People were so giving and so willing to help, and so happy to help,” Tracie Graham said. “I think that made an impact on him, too. He realized this isn’t just a project, it’s a pretty good thing.”

With his successful fundraising and donations from family and friends, Nick was able to include a few more things in the bags than he originally planned on, including the McDonald’s gift cards that King said the veterans especially appreciated. He also donated any extra supplies and all the money left over to the program.

“We’re proud that he did it, and that it was a success,” Tracie Graham said. “I’m glad that he felt passionate about it. I kept asking, ‘What made you think of this?’ He’s quiet, but yet he was adamant about it and how he respects the military and that they should be treated better.”

Nick said he was happy to give back to veterans through his Eagle project.

“It’s not a long-term thing like building a bench in a park, but I was able to give back to veterans with items that can help them,” he said.