Jacques Angelino is being honored as a 2025 semifinalist in the Everyday Kindness Heroes program, an effort of Columbus Monthly, The Columbus Dispatch and Columbus CEO that’s supported by the Center for HumanKindness at The Columbus Foundation.
What makes him a hero: “We take food, hygiene products, children’s books and backpacks to food insecure families, but most importantly, we take love, hope, encouragement, respect, recognition and sometimes laughter to them.” This fall, Jacques’ team organized supplying 109 school bags for children for the 2025 school year. Currently, much of his work is focused in Linden and East Columbus, but he has served families for over 20 years across Columbus and in Athens.
What is a challenge you have overcome? At 72 years old, I started to learn another language. It has allowed me to get closer to the families that I help so that they trust me and I am able to help them more completely.
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What inspires you? The families that I am fortunate to know. They go to work everyday at low paying jobs that are frequently demeaning and unfulfilling just to provide for their [needs].
What keeps you engaged? The love, respect and trust these families show me. I consider them family and they consider me family.
This story appeared in the December 2025 issue of Columbus Monthly as part of the Everyday Kindness Heroes feature package. Meet all of our honorees, and subscribe to Columbus Monthly here.
This article originally appeared on Columbus Monthly: Kindness Hero Jacques Angelino Gives Out Books, Backpacks and More
Reporting by Columbus Monthly / Columbus Monthly
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