New Jersey nonprofit "For the Love of Pete's Pantry" helping people in need this holiday season
WEST BERLIN, N.J. (CBS) - A New Jersey nonprofit is hoping residents will help out by donating their time or items for people in need this holiday season. Efforts like this are truly a reminder of what the holiday season is all about.
Except here at For The Love of Pete's Pantry, they do this all year round.
Some of the items the Camden County-based nonprofit will give away to anyone in need include food, toiletries and baby items, and it's run solely by volunteers.
Jeanne Rodrigues started For the Love of Pete's Pantry in 2021. It's named after her father.
In just a couple of years, Jeanne's grown the organization to where they're now donating new holiday blankets to children in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at St. Christopher's Hospital for Children, creating baskets for women at local domestic violence safe houses and organizing blessing bags with hygiene items for the homeless.
CBS News Philadelphia spoke with her about what she does and why she does it.
"My dad was a very giving person," Rodrigues said. "He liked to do a lot of things behind the scenes and he wanted to bless people along the way and we wanted to continue that legacy after he passed and spread cheer wherever we can. If people know how they can help and how they can contribute, they're willing to do it and you just have to give them an outlet."
For the Love of Pete's Pantry is run by volunteers and donations.