ABC7 Salutes: Revisiting the retired Army sergeant who collects suits for veterans in need

ARLINGTON, Va. (ABC7) — What started as an idea to help a few veterans get a suit, and maybe a fresh start, has exploded into an effort to help thousands.

A retired Army sergeant got his whole church involved in getting used suits, cleaning them, and then getting them to veterans who need them.

A suit that might help get them a job, or more.

Last year we met Sgt. Prince Rawlings (Ret.). A man with a winning smile and a heart of gold.

His goal then was to get a few hundred suits donated so he could get them to veterans in need.

Now, 12 months later, a lot has happened.

His whole church, the Fort Foote Baptist Church, has gotten behind the suit drive.

And now they’re collecting clothes for both men and women.

Mr. Rawlings and his church have received 2,400 suits, donated, cleaned, and out to veterans in need.

But that's not the half of it.

They also have another 3,000 suits that are just waiting to be sent off for cleaning.

And Mr. Rawlings shared with us that he did all this while going to Walter Reed Medical Center three times a week for dialysis.

What started as an idea to help a few veterans get a suit, and maybe a fresh start, has exploded into an effort to help thousands.