The Faith Foundation A National Heritage Foundation

Local Couple Receive Highest Award For Volunteerism
(Reprinted from Independent News May 2001)

When Joe and Bethanne Pellegrino’s three children grow up, their memories of Christmas will be far different from the memories most of us have. They will recall the excitement that started to build in September and culminated with most of the room in their house and their two-car garage being filled to the ceiling with brightly wrapped presents. They will recall strangers coming to the house day and night, dropping off those presents. One man opened a van and took out 20 brand new bikes! They will recall the DYFS workers and volunteers who came to help sort and organize thousands of items. But what they may recall most is the lesson they learned about sharing with and caring for others. Since 1996, the Pellegrino's have collected and distributed more than 60,000 gifts to over 14,300 needy children in Passaic County.

The effort began in Joe's Bible study group when he and a few friends decided they wanted to do something special for children. They contacted DYFS, received 53 names of children who might not be getting much and the list was split among the group. The next year, Joe put an article on the front page of the local newspaper he co-owned, asking readers to help families. That year, more than 600 children received gifts, many more than one, from the program now called "Adopt A Child". The third Christmas, the total grew to 1,500. In 1999, more than 2,100 children received at least one gift!

The following year was a challenging one for the Pellegrino family to say the least. It was questionable whether they would be able to run the program in 2000. Several people said, "Why would you do this with all the stress you are facing right now. Why not just skip a year?" Buoyed by their unshakable faith, Joe and Bethanne answered those questions with one of their own, "Why not?"  Although Joe started the program Bethanne is truly the backbone of the operation managing the hundreds of names and matching them up with donors, to ensure that not one child falls through the cracks.  So, the 2000 Christmas campaign began and more than 900 children were blessed with gifts.

As if that where not enough, they also host an annual Christmas party for DYFS children. Although the community donates much to make it happen, the bulk of the party preparation falls squarely on Joe. Pony rides, magicians, a petting zoo, a clown and tables of food await the 125 children and their guardians who come for a real, old-fashioned party. Their smiles and their warm thanks add to the rich holiday memories the Pellegrino family will always have.

On April 20, 2001, Joe and Bethanne Pellegrino received the highest award for volunteerism in the state of New Jersey. At an awards luncheon at the Princeton Marriott, they were recognized by the New Jersey Child Assault Prevention (NJ CAP) as the people who most exemplified selflessness to make a childs life better.