Lorenzo Falanga made quite an impression at Regina Residence in Merrick. Afterall, it’s not every day that Catholic Charities of Long Island receives a donation like the one planned, organized and collected by the high school junior from H. Frank Carey High School in Franklin Square.

Lorenzo and nine others including his parents and other adults, fellow Scouts and Scouting leaders, and another friend brought four carloads of donated items to the residence to benefit the moms and babies and young children cared for by Regina Maternity Services.

The 6,437 diapers, 336 packs of wipes and $1,155 in donations were collected by Lorenzo during his four-month Eagle Scout project. “Thank you all,” the tall, curly haired teenager said in a brief address in late May to fellow Scouts of Troop 93 and other supporters from the front steps of Regina Residence.

“This means a lot,” Lorenzo said. “We got everything, we almost tripled our goal. Our goal was 2,500 diapers, and we got 6,400, so I’m really thankful.”

The Scouts and other volunteers emptied four carloads of diapers, wipes, soap and laundry detergent, shampoo and ointment, and clothing. They passed items hand to hand and lined the foyer of the residence with goods. “I would like to thank Catholic Charities’ Regina Maternity Services for the opportunity and all the help,” Lorenzo said as Amy Agiato, CCLI’s director of Nutrition and Maternity Services looked on appreciatively.

She had delivered a request for diapers and other related products at a Parish Social Ministry workshop attended by Gail Miller, PSM director at St. Thomas the Apostle. Gail later asked if a Scout could contact her about his Eagle Scout project. “Lorenzo reached out a week or two later to see what we needed and how he could help,” Agiato said.

Catholic Charities of Long Island has recently benefited from two more Eagle Scout initiatives. One was directed by Scout Michael Vogt of St. Rose of Lima parish in Massapequa, a member of Troop 660, who collected and delivered more than 100 Birthday Blessing Boxes for CCLI ministries. The other is led by Joseph Gentile, a student at Hauppauge High School who is collecting funds to build and install vegetable and flower planters at Bustamante Residence in West Babylon for adults with developmental disabilities. That project is due to be completed next month.

A Perfect Match

The Falanga family belongs to St. Catherine of Sienna parish in Franklin Square. “I was looking for something that could show my religious background,” Lorenzo said. “They were looking for baby items. This is a good opportunity for an Eagle Scout project. It sounded perfect.”

Beginning in February, Lorenzo started planning, with help from his parents, Roberta and Giuseppe. They held a successful seven-hour ‘pop-out’ collection at CVS in Garden City, despite pouring rain. He also collected donations at two churches, St. Thomas the Apostle and Bethel Assembly of God. Lorenzo made a video to publicize the Bethel collection and advertised in the parish bulletin at St. Thomas. A collection box was also placed at a local pharmacy in Franklin Square. An Amazon Wish List registry brought other gifts.

“We exceeded expectations and nearly tripled our goal,” Lorenzo said. “Our goal was to help 50 mothers with 50 diapers each.” He was “overwhelmed and excited” by the fantastic response. “I was touched by the community and by the help given.”

Lorenzo has helped with other Eagle Scout projects and planned to assist another Scout with his upcoming one. His mother was proud of her son’s skills in leading troop members and carrying out the project along with his demanding academic schedule. His parents’ support was a key element in the success. “Having two people to rely on really helped me through everything,” Lorenzo said.

His accomplishments also fed his faith. “It feels great. I feel more connected to God. This really strengthened my faith. It means a lot to be able to do this.”

‘Overwhelming Response’

Patricia Callahan, coordinator of volunteers and interns at CCLI, received “an overwhelming response” when she emailed Catholic Charities ministries about Michael Vogt’s offer to make the Birthday Blessing Boxes. Positive responses came on behalf of CCLI’s 12 group homes for adults who are developmentally disabled, adult residents at Siena House in Bay Shore receiving mental health services, and families assisted by the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program.

Boxes are filled with ingredients for a successful birthday celebration from cake mixes and frosting, to candles, balloons and other decorations. Michael communicated well and stayed on track during the four-month project, delivering more birthday boxes than the 100 he originally proposed. He personally met clients who reside at the Bustamante and Seton group homes.

Catholic Charities gratefully acknowledges the hard work and commitment of each Eagle Scout. The efforts will continue into summer as Joseph Gentile raises funds and then builds and installs two large planters flanking the sides of the back steps at Bustamante.

“The Eagle Scout collaboration is a great benefit to Catholic Charities,” Callahan said.