The Wareham and Onset fire departments will be collecting hats, gloves, mittens, and gently-used coats for Helping Hands, a drive to benefit veterans, until November 7.

Onset resident Brittany DeJesus started the first Helping Hands drive two years ago on Veterans Day during a very cold fall season, which turned into a freezing winter.

DeJesus was getting her EMT license at the time and remembered thanking a veteran in her class for his service to the country on Veterans Day that year.

"I thanked him and he started to cry," she recalled. "It's so simple to say 'thank you' and it means so much, but people don't normally do it."

DeJesus then started Helping Hands in an effort to help veterans in need of cold-weather supplies and thank them for their sacrifices.

"It's one less thing that [veterans] have to purchase, but it's also a reminder that there's someone who cares," she said.

In addition to the Wareham and Onset departments, the Mattapoisett, Bourne, Walpole, and two New Bedford fire stations (Purchase Street and Brock Avenue) will be accepting donations.

For more information, contact Brittany DeJesus at bdejesus88@yahoo.com.