Camden Man Feeds Hungry Year-Round, Pays For It Out Of His Own Pocket
CAMDEN, NJ (CBS) -- In about a week on Thanksgiving, many of us will share a hot meal with people we care about.
But one Camden man does just that every single week of the year.
"Winter, spring, summer, fall. Rain, sun or sleet, the less fortunate must eat," said Andre Spruel of Camden. "That's my motto."
On a cold Wednesday night in Camden, the hungry know where to go.
"It's very good, it's delicious and it's fresh," said Aretia Banks of Camden.
Spruel started feeding people in need nearly two years ago with a pot of chili on the corner of Broad and Federal Streets.
"I help the less fortunate because I am less fortunate," he said. "I've lived the street life. I used to smoke and drink and played the bars and all that. But I stopped smoking, stooped drinking and stopped running the streets and my heart just went into helping people."
Spruel's non-profit H.O.P.E., an acronym for Helping Other People Eat, feeds anywhere from 80 to 150 people every Wednesday night at 7:30 p.m.
Evette Smith has volunteered from the very beginning.
"A lot of them are the same people," Smith said. "Every week we know the regulars and they're like we're so glad you came out here. You'll hear some say, we didn't eat since the last time you were out here. So we've got to make sure we're out here."
For those who come out, a thank you is all they have to give in return, and it's more than enough.
"Not just saying it because it's food and it's free, or this and that. I'm saying it because I mean it from the bottom of my heart," said Christopher Durr-Keppel of Camden.
Eventually Spruel would like to feed the hungry in Camden three times a day, seven days a week. To find out how you can help, visit his website, helpingotherpeopleeat.com
