New York Jets Player Robby Anderson Pays Off Shoppers' Layaways For The Holidays
SECAUCUS, N.J. (CBSNew York) - It's the season of giving back, so when New York Jets player Robby Anderson joined forces with a national nonprofit to pay off $5,000 worth of layaway, families at Secaucus' Burlington Store were ecstatic, speechless and grateful.
"It took a weight off because that was the last of the gifts we had to get," said Negrita McCollum. "It just freed up money for us to be able to give it to someone else."
That's exactly the reaction Anderson says he was looking for, reports CBS2's Alice Gainer.
He told CBS2 news it's important he uses his platform to give back, especially around the holidays.
"I've been blessed and put in this position so I feel like helping and making an impact in the community," he said. "It makes me feel good to be able to help and make people's lives easier for their kids"
Majority of the money used to pay off the layaways came from Anderson himself. He donated it to the nonprofit organization, Pay Away the Layaway. All year round it raises money online and uses those funds to pay layaway balances for children and families all over the world.
"It's important to us because that's really our main mission, to inspire hope and spread kindness," said Tom Giordano of Pay Away the Layaway. "So by doing these events, we feel that it really inspires people to donate and we can make peoples holiday seasons that much better."
Moving forward Anderson says he'll continue to give back in any way he can and hopes his act of kindness inspires others to do the same.