Efforts to recycle holiday lights are helping provide housing.

Charles Richardson is an Army veteran. After he said someone took advantage of his kindness, he found himself without a home. Thankfully for Richardson, the Utica Center for Development had a place for him to live.

“Most everybody sticks to themselves. I watch TV. I keep it down, play music. I keep that down. Nobody bothers nobody," Richardson said.

Utica Center for Development Executive Director Vincent Scalise and the center’s Housing Director, Scott Zoeckler, hope to offer more housing for veterans in the future as they say the demand is certainly there.

“Unfortunately, there's an overwhelming need here. We just can't seem to get ahead of the homeless situation in the city. So, as soon as we have a turnover in an apartment and we have a veteran ready to go in," said Scott Zoeckler.

“We’re always full. That’s one of the problems. That’s why we’re trying to build 20 more units," Scalise said.

Thirty units currently exist. In order to grow, they need donations, and while monetary donations are appreciated, items of almost any kind can help.

“If it doesn't work, it gets properly recycled. We'll take your bottles and cans. We'll take your old wiring and we'll take your old piping. We even take old candles, and we repurpose them for other purposes. We take old appliances. If it could get recycled, we'll take it," said Scalise.

The money from the recycled items is used to support their work, including their permanent and transitional supportive housing for veterans.

“Over the years we average probably 2,000 pounds worth of Christmas lights that we have come in. We take them to a shredding facility, recycling facility which pays us per pound for it," said Scalise.

“I wish there were more places like this,” Richardson said.

Intensive care management is also provided for the veterans being housed. Donations can be dropped off at the center’s main offices in Utica or in their blue clothing bins throughout Oneida and Herkimer counties.