At only 12 years of age, Sandro Cunningham has been helping the homeless for nearly half of his young life.

But he’s always looking to improve his giving.

His efforts to keep the homeless warm began five years ago when he set up a coat rack outside the Trenton Area Soup Kitchen (TASK) where the needy are able to walk right up and get a new, donated coat.

“Sandro’s Coat Rack” has garnered the Robbinsville resident an appearance on the Rachel Ray TV show with his dad, Ed, and mom, Lisa.

And Burlington stores (formerly known as the Burlington Coat Factory) pitched in to the effort in 2019 with a donation of 1,000 new coats, several racks and hangers, as well as a $5,000 check to TASK in Sandro’s honor.

Last year, a pandemic couldn’t stop him.

Still, he still wasn’t satisfied.

A woman selects a new winter coat from Sandro's Coat Rack, across the street from the Trenton Area Soup Kitchen (TASK) on Wed. November 24, 2021.Michael Mancuso | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

“I felt like I wanted to do something else.’’ Sandro said Wednesday morning after helping to hang coats on Sandro’s Coat Rack.

“I see new faces and there are still people coming to the coat rack,” he said. He felt like he could do more to, “Help people. And let them eat something really good - because I love pie.”

He’s warmed their bodies, now he’s warming their bellies.

For the second year, Sandro, along with his mom, dad and his younger brother Crescenzo, 8, added to their efforts and also distributed 80 quality pies, purchased from A&M Farm Market in Robbinsville.

After a brainstorming session with Sandro and his mom, thy named the effort Pie-It-Forward.

Wednesday, Sandro and Crescenzo each took pies from the family SUV and handed them out to people passing by with warm wishes for a Happy Thanksgiving.

They were received congenially. After receiving her pie, one woman responded, “Thank you, that was special for me. Thank you guys. I appreciate it. Same to you.”

Sandro now runs both efforts, the coat rack and pie distribution, under the banner Sandro’s Helping Hands.

Looking to the future, mom Lisa says the family plans to construct a new coat rack to replace the aging one at TASK and due to popular demand is even considering adding another Sandro’s Coat Rack location in Mercer County.

People make their selections from Sandro's Coat Rack, across the street from the Trenton Area Soup Kitchen (TASK) on Nov. 24, 2021.Michael Mancuso | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Crescenzo Cunningham, 8, helps delivers coats to his brother Sandro's Coat Rack outside the Trenton Area Soup Kitchen (TASK) on Nov. 24, 2021.Michael Mancuso | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

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Michael Mancuso may be reached at mmancuso@njadvancemedia.com

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