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'Heart To Cart' Initiative Gets Grocery Gift Cards To People Hit Hard By COVID

BOSTON (CBS) – It's a mindless task, but stuffing envelopes with gift cards is surprisingly rewarding for social media entrepreneur Tom O'Keefe.

"A simple gesture that can make your week, make your day and doesn't take much effort to do but really makes a difference in their lives," said O'Keefe.

Tom O'Keefe
Tom O'Keefe prepares gift cards as part of his "Heart to Cart" initiative. (WBZ-TV)

It's the latest project for the man behind the hugely successful "Boston Tweet," a Twitter account he started 12 years ago and now has almost 300,000 followers

"It's a great medium to get the message out in Boston," he said.

Now the focus of Boston Tweet has shifted from everything Boston to everything positive, with charity taking most of his focus. O'Keefe's latest focus is called Heart to Cart.

O'Keefe said Heart to Cart is such a simple thing to do.

Born out of the pandemic, Tom and his fiancé Bridget wanted to help.

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"Heart to Cart" gets gift cards to people hit hard by coronavirus. (WBZ-TV)

They decided, getting groceries to those hit hard by coronavirus would be easy and effective

"I figured what can I do quick? I can deliver easily and something they need now so the idea to buy supermarket gift cards for them and for others," O'Keefe said.

To date Tom has handed out $17,000 worth of $100 grocery store cards.

He's been overwhelmed by not only the response, but what is has done for him. And for that, he is thankful

"Doing good for others really does good for you too," O'Keefe said.

You can help the initiative by going to the Heart to Cart website.

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