LAKEWOOD RANCH, Fla. — When Lorenzo Liberti met a Vietnam veteran while serving food to the homeless with his church, he says it changed his life.
"What mattered was that he was a veteran and now he’s homeless. I’m better off than him and I haven’t ever served a day in my life. It made me really realize how much I owed to people like him," said Liberti.
So using his craftsman skills, Liberti started creating a symbol of Liberty, hand-carved wooden American flags.
In July, he launched a GoFundMe campaign to raise money for homeless veterans and to make a flag for a hospital in all 50 states.
Liberti, whose mother is a healthcare worker, says he wanted to honor both the heroes of our present while helping heroes who are forgotten.
In six months, Liberti raised more than $34,000 of his $50,000 goal.
On Tuesday, he presented a check to Turning Points, an agency that helps homeless veterans.
"That $30,000 donation will be a game-changer when veterans come to us for help, especially in emergency situations," said Edwin Robinson, Veterans Case Manager for Turning Points.
To help Liberti, visit hisGoFundMe page or visit his website atheroicflags.com.
This story was first reported by Wendi Lane at WFTS in Tampa Bay, Florida.
