Lazar Student Fundraises for People in Need

This holiday season, while many families are rushing around getting their trees, decorations and gifts, one Towaco family is hitting the streets of NYC to feed the homeless. They’ve been feeding the homeless every Saturday night since 1993.

This year they’re collecting donations to buy blankets, socks and hoodies for those in need and to help fundraise, they’re selling homemade holiday treats.

“I came up with the idea to make chocolate covered pretzels and sell them for $2 each,” said Anna Landgrebe. “My son has been knocking  doors all over town selling pretzels for this wonderful cause.”

Her son, Mark Landgrebe Jr., is a 13-year-old student at Lazar Middle School and as of the end of November, has raised $124.

“Many of my Montville friends have been ordering and buying baskets of pretzels and selling them at their jobs and other friends,” said Anna Landgrebe, adding that they’ve raised more than $400. The fundraiser continues until Dec. 15.  

With the money, they’ll gift wrap every hoodie, blanket and sock with help from students from Lazar.

“I am proud that my son is involved with the Homelessbus on a regular basis.  We planned this chocolate-covered pretzel fundraiser to help us buy blankets and hoodies for the Holidays so my son can invite his friends and the local community to participate in this special cause,” she added. 
There will be a presentation at Cedar Hill on Dec. 20 and this is the second year they were invited to talk to Montville youths about making a difference in someone's life.
“We’ve been doing this since 1992. My husband attended a seminar in Hawaii where he became inspired to help the needy,” said Landgrebe.

In 1992 her husband fed the homeless on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years.

“Immediately he realized these people needed help all year long,” so they started in 1993 feeding them every Saturday night to today. Landgrebe went on to start the non profit called HomelessBus Inc.

They feed between 150-200 people every Saturday with cheeseburgers, cup of noodle soup, hot chocolate, cookies or any other sweets they can get.  

To make a donation go to http://homelessbus.org/ or send donations to PO Box 416Towaco, NJ 07082.

For more information or to purchase chocolate-covered pretzels, contact Homelessbusorg@gmail.com.