You may know Vinny Laporta from his early days as a member of The Tots, and time with The Lou Reed Band, his years with The Kik Band, or have enjoyed his musical talent while playing in local bands around Westchester, New York. Maybe you just know him from the neighborhood of Yonkers where he continues to live, and maybe you are lucky enough to call Vinny your friend. Anyone that has been touched by Vinny knows he has always been a glass half full kind of guy. Always smiling, never missing any kind of reunion whether it’s a group of musician friends, neighborhood gatherings or a backyard barbecue. Vinny’s also a very independent and proud person never wanting to ask anyone for help, except when it comes to his beloved outdoor kitties. Vinny lost his indoor cats these past couple of years, but despite whatever hardships he has faced, he continues to help those outdoor ones, building shelters, feeding, helping them get spayed.

Vinny has been quiet for some time now. The silence was a sign to those that know him well something isn’t right. Not being able to work due to chronic health issues has made his financial situation dire. He has continued to have medical issues that have sent him to the hospital multiple times and in fact he is hospitalized as we are writing this. We know there are so many that love Vinny, we wanted to try and help him through whatever he is suffering from and get him into a more affordable living situation that can’t be done without the help of community to buy him some time so we can work to find an affordable option for him.

As many musicians know too well, so few are able to gracefully age with benefits that will allow them to be financially stable and Vinny has worked multiple jobs in conjunction with playing his music until he was no longer able to in recent years.

The goal here is to help Vinny with moving costs, potential medical bills, and supplement his current rent (which exceeds his income) while he works on his health recovery and explores senior subsidized housing or finds an affordable rental situation. Sometimes stress is an added factor that will trigger treatable medical conditions and if we can help eliminate some of that stress, your support will forever be paid forward.