Naples teen collects thousands of clothing essentials for the homeless

NAPLES, Fla. — Paul Campbell has a big wish list this holiday season. But it's not for him. The Naples teenager said he is collecting thousands of essential items for the homeless as part of a growing holiday tradition.

"The Amazon drivers must hate us," Campbell said. "They dropped off so many boxes it's crazy."

Campbell is collecting toothpaste, socks, underwear and more that he will donate to St. Matthews House and the Hunger and Homeless Coalition of Collier County.

Campbell said the effort started seven years ago, during a family vacation. Campbell insisted on giving money to homeless people outside their hotel.

Instead, Campbell's mother promised to find a better way to help when they returned home to the Pittsburgh area. It started with collecting socks and coats from family members.

Campbell said the collection quickly grew after the family moved to Florida three years ago. Now, Campbell has a public Amazon wish list. People can purchase an item that gets shipped to the Campbell's home.

Campbell said he will accept items through January 12.

St. Matthew's House said Campbell collected a record 3,000 items last year. He's aiming for 5,000 items this time around. If he succeeds, Campbell said the family will start a nonprofit.

"It feels awesome because It's becoming bigger and bigger each year," Campbell said. "And I feel like I have a purpose."

"This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy."