Four natives of the tri-boro are helping the homeless one kindness kit at a time this holiday season thanks to the donations of others.
Dominick Camillo Jr. went to Palmyra High School and got into some trouble growing up, which led him to this venture.
“I was a bad kid growing up. I got into a little bit of trouble 14 years ago. I decided to move across the country to Seattle.”
Camillo doesn’t hide anything about his past. He wants people to know what he went through and that recovery can happen.
“I’m a recovering drug addict. Just because you’re homeless, it doesn’t mean you are a bad person. You’re just a person who is having a rough time right now. I know what it’s like not to have any money in your pocket. Just to have a few dollars makes a big difference.”
After his move to Seattle, Camillo knew something in his life had to change.
“When I was in Seattle I took a long look at myself. I decided to volunteer at the homeless shelter and did it for a long time. I had no clue all these people had nowhere to go and nothing to eat. It opened my eyes.”
Camillo then took his volunteering efforts to a new level when he started making sandwiches for the homeless.
He would make 100 sandwiches and put them in a bag, with some money, and hand them out to the homeless around Seattle.
Camillo posted about it one Facebook and friends of his back home in New Jersey got wind of it.
“The girls back in Jersey heard about it and asked if they could help,” Camillo said. “The first year we might have raised $50 or $60. I’ve been back in Jersey for two years and we’ve raised more than $1,000.”
Camillo started meeting with his high school friends Meredith Perkins Salmon (Cinnaminson), Heather Thress (Riverton) and Jacqui Nece (Palmyra); all of whom still live in the Tri-Boro.
“When I came home the girls helped get everything organized,” Camillo said. “I’m not an organization guy. They have all these ideas and have kept it more organized. Once we all started working together we were feeding off each other’s ideas.”
The trio of women working with Camillo came up with the name Kindness Kits, created the business Facebook page and created the logo.
“The whole kit idea and the name, that’s all them,” Camillo said. “The logo and the stuff on Facebook, all their ideas.”
“The girls put a list together of all the necessities people take for granted. Drop boxes have been set up in different locations. Some local places are keeping drop boxes all year round for us. Those girls know what they’re doing. I was just a guy who was handing out sandwiches and had an idea. I have a lot of support. If that goes into play to work it all out, that’s all i can ask for.“
Last year the group put together 103 Kindness Kits that they then handed out in Philadelphia.
“We asked them last year what they need the most,” Salmon said. “They said the food truck comes around a couple times a day so they don’t need food. They need stuff to keep them warm.”
The group will be handing this year’s Kindness Kits out on the morning of Christmas Eve.
“Our deadline for collection is the 14th because we want to be able to look through everything to see what we still need,” Salmon said.
The group has been asking for blankets more than anything else this year and the response has been overwhelming.
“It seems bigger this year,” Salmon said. “It’s amazing how much the community comes together with stuff like this.”
Salmon knew the minute she heard about Camillo’s efforts that it was something she wanted to do too.
“It just seemed like something that was natural to do. I like to help with things like that. When he was looking and just mentioned it, I said we could probably collect stuff.”
“The first time we met last year, Jacqui was able to get plastic refillable coffee cups. If they had money and went to a Wawa or something they would only have to pay a refill price.”
Camillo never would have imagined that making sandwiches for the homeless in Seattle a couple years ago would turn into what it is today.
“I’m so overwhelmed that a couple sandwiches years ago turned into this. I’ve had tears in my eyes seeing what people are dropping off. I can’t believe this at all. It’s really amazing. I’ve got friends from North Carolina sending us stuff.”
Camillo hopes that Kindness Kits continues to grow as more people learn about their efforts. He foresees it turning into an official non-profit in the future.
“I hope it’s a year round thing in the next five years. It can be a whole family thing. People gathering together to put the kits together. Even if it’s twice a year and then the following year we do it three times. I just want to put the family back in things.”
All photos courtesy of Kindness Kits.
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