Naples teen helps veterans, honoring his late grandfather

Herman Kaufman delivered gift cards to veterans at Warrior Homes of Collier.

After donating nearly $11,000 of his bar mitzvah money in 2022 to help end veterans’ homelessness, local teen Herman Kaufman recently returned to Warrior Homes of Collier with an additional donation in honor of his late grandfather, a World War II fighter pilot.

Joined by several classmates, the Community School of Naples sophomore delivered $1,600 worth of grocery store gift cards to residents of Warrior Homes of Collier, a nonprofit organization that focuses on housing, mental health and education.

The gift cards were collected during a two-week “Fueling Our Heroes” campaign at the Naples Independent School and presented at a 90th birthday celebration for veteran Ron Fournier, a resident of Delta House, the newest Warrior Homes’ site in East Naples.

“Youth today need to understand that veterans matter,” the 10th-grader said. “They are the backbone of our country. In today’s society, they are completely undervalued and not necessarily accounted for.”

Kaufman wears his late grandfather’s dog tags as a tribute to the WWII pilot.

Kaufman recounted how his Jewish grandfather, at risk of being shot down while on a mission, tossed the dog tags that identified him by name and religion from his plane – an act of defiance joined by the entire crew as a show of solidarity.

The pilot, Herman Kaufman, survived that mission. Now, more than 80 years later and a world away, his grandson and namesake proudly wears those dog tags around his neck as a tribute to a man he never met (the elder Kaufman died before his grandson was born).

“He’s just an amazing young man with a passion to give back,” said Dale Mullin, a Vietnam veteran, founder and president of Warrior Homes of Collier. “It’s an inspiration for future generations.”

Beyond providing a roof over their heads, Warrior Homes of Collier also connects veterans with support services such as mental health counseling, peer support through the David Lawrence Centers, and educational opportunities, including college scholarships. ¦

Kaufman shows his late grandfather’s dog tags. COURTESY PHOTOS

The post Naples teen helps veterans, honoring his late grandfather first appeared on Fort Myers Florida Weekly .