Two Rye Moms Thought They Could Raise $1,000 in Cookware for LA Wildfire Victims. Residents Answered With $12K in a Matter of Days.

Pellegrini, who has a close relationship with Rye’s American Legion Post 128, realized that an affiliated post in California could be able to help facilitate aid.

February 3, 2025
2 min read

Thanks to two local moms, victims of the California wildfires are receiving crock pots, air fryers, coffee pots, and pet food.

Kelly Jancski and Laura Pellegrini collected more than $12,000 from local residents after connecting with an American Legion Post in Hollywood that became the beneficiary of the duo’s generous energy.

Pellegrini, who has a close relationship with Rye’s American Legion Post 128, realized that an affiliated post in California could be able to help facilitate aid. After locating Hollywood Post 43 on a map, she called and quickly connected with the Post Commander. Both women have been in near-daily contact with him since for updates.

As the fire raged on, time was of the essence; donating quickly, easily, and in a personal way was a logistical challenge, Jancski said. The pair, who are no strangers to fundraising for charity, elected to use Venmo to collect donations quickly.

The money was immediately put to effective and practical use; Janscki and Pellegrini were able to send more than 100 small appliances — including the crock pots, air fryers, and coffee pots — as well as more than 100 can openers and about 2,000 pounds of pet food. The team at Post 43 distributed the donations to needy families.

“While the Post has tons of food to give out, people did not have a way to cook it,” Jancski said. “Many were placed in motels, and unlike in New York, vacant apartments in California often do not provide appliances. Canned food isn’t much good if you can’t open it.”

Jancski and Pellegrini’s friendship began when their young sons, now in college, met at the kiddie pool at Rye Golf Club. Throughout the years, the two moms have collaborated on various school and community initiatives, including annual community service events for Rye’s Boy Scout Troop 2. In fact, a call earlier this year to discuss the troop’s MLK Day Food Pantry Collection sparked Jancski and Pellegrini to think about how they could use their networks and dedication to help others and make a difference for those who had lost their homes in the fires.

Neither Jancski nor Pellegrini were surprised at the Rye community’s willingness to support and donate, but they were moved by the overwhelming generosity.

“We pitched the idea to the community via social media, especially the Facebook group ‘Rye Moms’,” said Jancski. “We thought we might raise $1,000 and be able to send something useful. Never underestimate the generosity of Rye Moms — we raised $12,000 in a few short days.”

While their appeal ended at midnight on MLK day, the impact of Rye’s remarkable generosity continues. Jancski and Pellegrini plan to send one more appliance shipment to California and then convert remaining donations into Home Depot gift cards, which are frequently requested by victims who need supplies to clean up home remains.

“This community never lets us down, and is the reason we feel able to ‘dream big’ and put our ideas for community impact out there,” said Jancski. “The Rye community is generous and caring and always steps up when asked and given a way to do so.”

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