This special shop offers kindness and hope to people in need

As a licensed social worker, Ben Davey found that he had a constant tug on his heart to help others. Before long, he and his wife, Heather, decided to make it official by starting Benny’s Bodega, a special store’ to help those struggling find necessities...and hope!

- Diane Herbst

Ben, what did you buy at Spirit Halloween for $80?" Heather Davey asked her husband after noticing the charge on their credit card statement.

"I had to get a costume for a little girl who was just put in foster care," explained Ben, a licensed clinical social worker and community liaison for the New Jersey Division of Child Protection and Permanency.

Ben and Heather each worked two jobs to support their family with two young children, and often struggled to make ends meet themselves. "Ben, we just don't have the money," Heather told him, her heart tugging.

But his own lack never prevented Ben from being the generous person that he is. When he'd see families in his casework who had earned too much money to qualify for government assistance, but still couldn't afford basic necessities, he'd call Heather and ask, "Hey, do we have extra clothes? Do we have extra food, extra money?"

Despite her hesitations, Heather always said yes. He's passionate about what he does, she would think to herself, and who am I to tell my husband not to help people? I love him and I love his big heart, and I'm so proud of him for wanting to do this.

A dream of serving others