COLLEGE PARK, MD - Former University of Maryland football standout and NFL All-Pro, Shawne Merriman, will hold his annual "Lights On" Foundation Coat Drive on Saturday, November 4 before the Maryland-Penn State game at SECU Stadium. 
 
The coat drive, now in its 21st year, will benefit the homeless and United States military veterans. This year's donation recipients will include Helping Up Mission serving Maryland's homeless population and MCVET (Maryland Center for Veterans Education and Training) supporting our nation's veterans.  Both organizations are dedicated to assisting our most vulnerable populations in Maryland.
 
"Reaching 21 years of collecting coats for the less fortunate is a huge accomplishment and I couldn't be happier to continue to work with The University of Maryland as we make a collective impact in the Maryland area," said Merriman. "The coat drive has always been special to me because I know how it feels to not have a coat during Maryland's brutally cold weather. To commemorate 21 years of providing warmth to our community, I want to set the bar high and bring in a record number of donations." 
 
Volunteers will be on hand to collect gently used coats, hats, scarves and other cold weather gear at Gates C, F & I beginning 1.5 hours prior to kickoff until the end of the first quarter. 
 
Initiated while still a student at Maryland, Merriman's Lights On Foundation has collected more than 40,000 coats over the past 20 years to benefit communities in the local Maryland and DC areas as well as those affected by past disasters such as Hurricane Sandy in 2012 and most recently during the COVID-19 pandemic.
 
Merriman's Lights On Foundation is dedicated to improving the quality of life for youth and to help the homeless. Merriman donates time, money and other resources throughout the country by increasing opportunities for children to lead healthy and fulfilling lives through his foundation. By building corporate partnerships within the community, Merriman is able to provide financial assistance to projects focusing primarily on helping the homeless and children in need.