CPC Employees Help Brighten the Holidays for Teens in the Foster System

CPC Logistics Operations Manager Mario Rodriguez and driver Robert Wood, assigned to Walgreens in Hartford, Connecticut, are lending their time and talents to Let’s Refoster Care—a Connecticut-based nonprofit supporting foster and at-risk youth through clothing drives, wish-list fulfillment and community initiatives. They are currently helping ensure the organization’s 2025 Teen Christmas Drive is a success.

Beginning on October 27, Let’s Refoster Care started matching local teens with individuals willing to purchase items such as clothing, bedding, personal care products and gift cards from their unique wish lists. Mario and Robert have helped with outreach and volunteer support, sharing the drive with colleagues and on social media, and assisting with the transportation and organization of donations.

“This initiative is focusing on the teenagers who often get overlooked in the foster system,” Mario said. “We want to give as many of those kids as possible a great Christmas by providing them with the specific essentials they want and need.”

Mario has volunteered with Let’s Refoster Care since 2022 and has a personal connection to the organization’s mission. Spending part of his childhood in the foster system, he understands how difficult it can be for young people when stability and support feel out of reach.

“I’ve always wanted to give back so that no kid ever feels the way I did at their age,” he said.

Let’s Refoster Care was co-founded by Holley Wood, Robert’s wife, who also experienced the foster care system. Holley now works to ensure that foster and at-risk youth, especially teens, receive not only clothing and toiletries but also emotional support and resources that help them thrive.

Mario connected with Holley and her organization after he began working with Robert in 2022. He learned about the couple’s experience fostering children and discovered they shared a passion for supporting youth in the system.

“It’s great to see more people get involved, and Mario really jumped right in,” Robert said. “I’ve always respected him as my boss, but seeing him outside of work helping, volunteering and showing up for these kids gave me a new appreciation for him.”

Working alongside Holley and Let’s Refoster Care, Mario has helped bridge the gap between state-provided resources and what young people truly need: a sense of belonging, stability and encouragement. Through Mario’s outreach, CPC drivers and colleagues have donated funds and participated in the organization’s back-to-school drives and seasonal giving campaigns.

“When volunteers like Mario show up, it reminds foster teens that there are people who care about them, believe in them and want to see them do well,” Holley said. “It means the world to see others care as deeply as we do.”

Mario and Robert are always looking for new ways to help young people who need stability, belonging and positive role models.

“I’m working to build youth groups around sports and local gyms so teens can have a place to belong,” Robert said. “When they’re on the court or in the gym, no one knows who’s a foster kid and who isn’t; they’re just kids. Over time, we want to give them a consistent place to gather, support each other and eventually even help them explore careers and job opportunities.”

Mario is also proud to have spent 25 years coaching youth sports, teaching values like teamwork and patience.

“You don’t know what someone’s going through, and you never know what 15 minutes can mean to a young person,” Mario said. “It means the world to me to give back and bring positivity.”

Both Mario and Robert credit CPC leadership and the company’s people-first culture for providing them with the flexibility to give back. They encourage CPC employees to find ways—both large and small—to be a resource to the youth in their own communities.

“You can always find time to help, even if it’s volunteering 30 minutes a day or an hour a week at your local youth organizations,” Mario said.

CPC employees who wish to support Let’s Refoster Care’s 2025 Teen Christmas Drive can donate through December 15. Wish list donations and monetary contributions are accepted. To view the wish lists or ask questions, visit the organization’s Facebook page and send a direct message. To make a monetary donation, scan the QR code in the graphic below.