Kelly Jenkins

Kelly (Mary) Jenkins is the personification of a New Jersey’s Heartland Hero, someone behind the scenes who is always there to provide a much-needed helping hand while not caring one iota about recognition for herself or her efforts.

Delivering food, household items and clothes to Angele’s Pantry in Egg Harbor City and Sister Jean’s Kitchen; personally buying and delivering essentials to the U.S. Coastguard station in Wildwood during the recent government shutdown; purchasing an air mattress so a daughter could sleep on the floor and care for her ailing mother throughout the night; or even having her husband, who owns a plumbing company, send a technician to help neighbor short on money repair their water heater. Kelly is always there in every way.

Kelly has a heart of gold and it shows in everything she does, both big and small. From gathering donations of coats, hats and gloves during the winter for the Salvation Army to just dropping off some hot soup to a friend who is under the weather, so many of us within New Jersey’s Heartland have been touched by this angel of caring.

For these and more reasons than I could possibly ever list, it is my privilege to nominate Kelly (Mary) Jenkins as a New Jersey’s Heartland Hero.