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Date: 11/20/2023
EASTHAMPTON — For the sixth year, the Easthampton Police Department is participating in the Home Base No Shave campaign to raise awareness and funds for the Home Base program.
During the month of November, officers sign up to grow out their facial hair or participate in other ways such as wearing hair scrunchies, lapel pins or patches to raise awareness for Home Base.
This is an organization that provides assistance to veterans and their families to heal from invisible wounds such as post-traumatic stress or traumatic brain injury.
“We hope everyone will consider donating to such an important cause to support our veterans struggling here at home,” said Sgt. Andrew Beaulieu of the Easthampton Police Department. “As of Nov. 13, we have raised $500. The fundraiser as a whole has collected over $77,000.”
Each year, the department usually has between 10 and 20 officers who participate, each pledging to raise $100 to donate to the cause. Individuals and businesses can also donate by visiting this website https://because.massgeneral.org/fundraiser/5061092.
“Our police association donates to the cause on behalf of the officers that participate, but often we have local residents and businesses that donate by dropping off/mailing funds earmarked for this drive,” explained Beaulieu.
Last November, 130 New England Police Departments, several individuals, companies and sponsors participated and the campaign has raised $1.4 million over its nine years of operation. MBTA Transit Police/Boston Gang Unit Detective Kurt Power, a U.S. Army veteran and Purple Heart recipient began the Home Base No Shave campaign.
The funds support the veterans’ needs, but the campaign also helps to destigmatize some of the mental health concerns that come up when veterans return home. Destigmatizing them helps the veterans to be more comfortable getting the help they need.
Before joining this campaign, the Easthampton Police Department would join up with another local department to support various charities.
“Our department used to join Holyoke Police Department and raise funds during the month of January for local charities,” recalled Beaulieu. “Once we became familiar with No Shave, we decided to join the bigger drive and try to amplify the efforts towards this important cause.”
Although the campaign has a significant number of police departments involved, it is also open to other emergency responders, as well as family and friends who would like to be involved.