Retired Cop's Family Donates 3,400 Items to Homeless Center

Bill Maloney spent 37 years protecting Elmira, New York as a police officer, but his service didn't stop when he retired two decades ago.

This July, Maloney and about 20 family members will deliver 3,400 household items to the Samaritan Center, a local charity serving homeless families and others in need. The donation includes toothbrushes, soap, razors, clothing, ponchos, and nearly $500 worth of women's products.

The Maloney family started this tradition in July 2024 when 18 relatives pooled their money to buy 1,200 items worth more than $1,200. Last year they doubled that amount to 2,400 items.

This year brought an unexpected twist. A family friend from Connecticut who had never even met Maloney donated 1,000 additional items out of the blue.

"I had no idea," Maloney said. "It was a big surprise, 100% surprise."

The process is surprisingly simple but takes dedication. The Samaritan Center tells Maloney what items they need most. Then participating family members spend eight months gradually buying those necessities before the July delivery.

The center distributes the items to families who need basic household goods that most people take for granted. Catholic Charities Marketing Director Katie Rhodes called having these items to give away "a wonderful blessing."

"We rarely receive funding for those kinds of items and are grateful to be able to distribute them to our community," Rhodes said.

Sunny's Take

What started as one family's modest effort has grown into something remarkable. Over three years, the Maloneys have invested more than $7,500 of their own money to provide over 6,000 items to neighbors facing hard times.

Bill Maloney says people often ask how his family manages such a big project. His answer gets to the heart of why this story matters: "We're a close family and everybody wants to help. All these people in the community are suffering. They all need help."

The trucks load up this weekend for Monday's delivery, carrying not just soap and razors but proof that ordinary families can make an extraordinary difference.