Nicole Hamill's charity, Treasures of Long Island, helps equip foster kids as they age out of the system

Some people know her as Nicole Hamill. But to others, she is simply the “Donation Lady.”

For the past year, the Bellport resident, 31, said she has been collecting items ranging from diapers to dressers for local children and families in need through her initiative, Treasures of Long Island.

Hamill kicked off her collection efforts in the summer of 2023 by soliciting donations from her family and friends to help kids in foster care, including those who receive services through the nonprofit Little Flower Children and Family Services of New York. Hamill works at the organization’s site in Wading River as a life skills coordinator.

“When I first started this, it blew up within like a week,” Hamill said. “Working with the kids is kind of what led to this idea, because not all of our kids have families to go home to. Once the kids age out [of foster care] they either go into group homes or sometimes they will get independent living, but I realized that they never really have everything they need.”

Recently, she said she has broadened her efforts to benefit local families as well.

Since launching her initiative, Hamill said she has provided items to about 50 children and families throughout Suffolk County. She keeps the donated objects at a storage unit in Bellport, which costs her about $200 per month. At times, she has rented up to three units at once, she said.

In addition, Hamill periodically rents U-Hauls to transport the larger items to families requesting help, she said.

To offset costs, Hamill has raised about $500 by hosting raffles on social media of items such as a hoverboard that she bought on clearance, she said. She has also used her own money to purchase as many as 350 packages of new underwear.

“I’ve gotten really good at identifying clearance cycles,” Hamill said. “Now I can go to Walmart on the day I know they’ll have it and I can get a 12-pack of brand-new kids’ underwear for 50 cents.”

Ann Meier, of Wading River, said she has helped connect Hamill with friends donating household items. She recalled once passing along a set of new dishes, which was given to a woman who said she had never owned a dish set in her life.

“She is truly amazing and very, very humble,” Meier said of Hamill. “She is just someone who doesn’t believe anything is impossible. She always goes above and beyond. I can’t say enough good things about her.”

Hamill’s other efforts have included creating a hygiene group for children at Little Flower to teach them how to do their nails and hair and apply makeup with the help of social work interns from Stony Brook University. The group’s goal is to teach the necessary skills for self-care so the youths will not have to spend money on these services in the future, she said.

Little Flower’s clinical director, Erik Ulrich, praised Hamill’s efforts to help local youth succeed.

“Nicole recognizes the importance of individual and personalized care and is quick to take decisive action to address any barriers to their success,” Ulrich said.