Creativity, People and Places

A Saint For The Homeless, My Family & Our Music

You might see them as you drive or walk through your town.  They’re often cold and hungry, and they could use some help.  They are the homeless.  Sometimes, for a variety of reasons, the help that’s offered through local agencies and shelters doesn’t get to them.  In my home city of Lancaster, PA, that’s where Dave Costarella and his “My People On The Streets” project comes in. 

Dave cares for the people who remain on the street.  He’s not part of an organization or group, he’s literally a community super hero; an unaffiliated do-gooder trying to keep people alive and make their lives better. 

He does most of this on his own, but he does need help.  Each fall/winter, he collects donations of clothing, plus money to buy the food he makes and distributes to his people.  Sometimes he needs to buy the clothing he hands out too. 

Our city is lucky to have Dave as a real world angel, and my family is blessed to have Dave as a friend.

In order to support his work and build community in our city (Lancaster, PA), The Fulginiti Family Band is donating all proceeds from our new holiday single to Dave Costarella for “My People On The Streets”. 

Fulginiti Family Band consists of my daughters Bailey (26) and Ally (24), Tom Herr (Bailey’s SO) and myself. This is our 5th consecutive, holiday fund-raising release, and in that time we’ve raised over $4,000 for causes both local and national. You can find our previous releases here.

Our new single, Snowfall, is a bossa nova-influenced cover of Claude & Ruth Thornhill’s somewhat lesser-known classic song from 1941.  It’s been recorded by many over the years, including Tony Bennet, Ramsey Lewis and The Monkees. 

Our version features Bailey & Ally Fulginiti in some tight vocal harmonies, with Tom Herr and I setting the scene with percussion, guitar, bass and flugelhorn. 

Snowfall is streamable on all major platforms.  Downloads are available for a donation at www.toddfulginiti.com, and on Bandcamp. 

All money received from Snowfall will be given to Dave Costarella for “My People On The Streets”. 

We hope you’ll consider helping us reach our fundraising goal of $2,000, or perhaps donate to a group that serves the homeless in your area. And of course we hope you’ll enjoy the musical efforts of my family.

For recent pieces on the subject of homelessness, read The Man At The Fountain Part 1 & Part 2

Follow us at here at Wise & Shine and sign up for our newsletter to keep up to date on recent posts and upcoming offerings. You can also follow Todd Fulginiti’s personal blog, Five O’Clock Shadow.

For Todd Fulginiti, musician- visit www.toddfulginiti.com

19 thoughts on “A Saint For The Homeless, My Family & Our Music”

  1. Dear Todd,

    May God bless Dave Costarella, you and your family, and all those who are living on the streets. 🙏

    Reply

      1. My pleasure — I had a chance to listen just a bit ago. What a beautiful track to accompany my work…mellow and enchanting. Bailey and Ally’s voices are magical! 😉

  4. This is beautiful, Todd. I loved your recording, the cause and also how you set it up with your series on homelessness. And your list of who’s covered Snowfall made me laugh: “Tony Bennet, Ramsey Lewis and The Monkees.”

    Great project, good cause and hopefully a lot of people donating to help Dave (and you) in a problem that needs a lot of heroes.

    Reply

    1. Thank you Wynne! Yeah, The Monkees somehow made that list 🙂 In fact, their close, “clashy” vocal harmonies really inspired our version. Not what I would have expected 🤷🏼‍♂️

      Reply

  5. There’s so much to love about this, Todd!

    Dave… The family making music together… The music itself (beautiful)… You all supporting Dave… And you allowing us share in this… Thank you for letting us be a part!

    Reply
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