Lauren Coe

Lauren Coe is the Founder of One Soldier at a Time, a Webster, New York-based nonprofit dedicated to serving veterans, active-duty military members, and the “hidden heroes” behind the uniform: spouses, parents, children, caregivers, and families who carry the unseen weight of service.

Lauren’s heart for the military was shaped early by her father, who served in World War II and the Korean War. After his passing, her family discovered more about the depth of his service, including the sacrifices he witnessed during wartime.

That legacy, combined with the heartbreaking loss of a friend’s son during the Iraq War just two weeks before he was scheduled to come home, became part of the foundation for Lauren’s calling.

What began as a desire to comfort military mothers and families grew into a broader mission of practical, hands-on service. Through One Soldier at a Time, Lauren and her team provide support to deployed service members, military families, veterans living in poverty, veterans facing homelessness, those in PTSD homes, and those receiving care through VA hospitals.

One of the organization’s central efforts is the Hygiene Packages of Hope program, which provides veterans with essential items such as shampoo, deodorant, razors, shaving cream, toothbrushes, toothpaste, socks, moisturizer, handmade cards, and other basic supplies. These packages are more than donations.

They are reminders of dignity, humanity, and gratitude, helping veterans know they are seen, valued, and not forgotten.

One Soldier at a Time serves veterans and families across 11 counties, provides thousands of Hygiene Packages of Hope each year, supports local PTSD homes, and works with community partners, businesses, volunteers, schools, churches, and civic groups to meet real needs with real action.

Lauren is also the driving force behind the Heroes & Hidden Heroes Webster Summer Music Festival, an annual event that honors veterans, active-duty service members, military families, and caregivers while raising support for the organization’s work. The festival brings the community together through music, food, military tribute, sponsors, volunteers, and direct support for at-risk veterans.

Guided by faith, service, and the belief that “freedom is not free,” Lauren’s work through One Soldier at a Time reflects a simple but powerful truth: patriotism is not proven by words alone. It is proven through meals, packages, cards, volunteers, sponsors, and a community willing to stand in the gap after the parade ends.