Leslie Gudel is thankful for her career success in Philadelphia as anchor for Comcast SportsNet and at NBC Sports Philadelphia, so when people were hurt by the pandemic, she wanted to help, writes Marc Narducci for The Philadelphia Inquirer.

Gudel came up with Food It Forward, a nonprofit that buys gift cards from restaurants and gives them to those who could use them.  The organization services Wayne, Berwyn, Devon, and Paoli.

The first batch of cards went to frontline workers like hospital employees and medics. Now the cards go to food banks.

“It’s been a great program because it is helping people [who can use the gift cards],” said Sean Coyle, owner of the Goat’s Beard in Wayne and Manayunk. “It is also a big help to the restaurants.”

Gudel also started Kendall’s Crusade in 2016 after her daughter, Kendall, now a high school sophomore, suffered a stroke caused by arteriovenous malformation (AVM).

Kendall’s Crusade has raised more than $220,000 for families afflicted by AVM.

Gudel also volunteers with the Andy Talley Bone Marrow Foundation, founded by the former football coach of Villanova. The foundation recruits marrow donors for the Be the Match Registry.

Read more about Leslie Gudel here.

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