CHANDLER, AZ (CBS5) -
Every night, Karen and Jeff Robinson pick up leftovers from local bakeries and act as a human bridge between the supply and demand, delivering the goods to shelters across the valley.
"I was surprised of the need, but I was surprised even more by how much good food is going to waste by being thrown out by these stores," Karen said.
Inside their Chandler garage, Karen was packing up enough cookies and muffins to feed an army.
Or, to be more specific, a shelter full of veterans who had anything but a sweet homecoming.
"Just like in the military, we like when we go to chow hall and there's just a little extra to eat, we love it," said Darryl Vincent of U.S. Vets Phoenix.
"Sometimes it's the food, sometimes it's that someone took time of their day to give something to me, that no one else did today."
The Robinson's might visit a half dozen shelters like this before noon.
It's a routine that they have kept up for three years.
"We have put close to 80,000 miles on our car doing this," Karen said.
"I think it's incredible what they put together on their own," said Martin Skalon, a friend of the Robinson's who also helps pick up the pastries two nights a week.
Skalon nominated Karen and Jeff for CBS 5's Pay It Forward program, so we put in a little dough of our own and surprised them with the $500 reward.
Copyright 2012 KPHO (Meredith Corporation). All rights reserved.
