Most 9-year-olds probably aren’t thrilled about waking up in the morning for school. And after the bell rings, many are probably working to finish their homework early so they can play Fortnite.

But, Sandro Cunningham is different. He often starts his mornings bright and early, at 6:30 a.m., setting up a coat rack outside of the Trenton Area Soup Kitchen.

“I was watching the news one night and had seen a story about the homeless, and wanted to do something,” said Cunningham, a third grader at Princeton Academy.

He first started “Sandro’s Coat Rack” three years ago, and keeps it going with an assist from his father, Edward Cunningham, a Trenton police officer. He gathers coat donations from around the county, and then leaves the coats outside of the soup kitchen for those stopping by or walking in the area to take as they need.

His father patrols the area and makes a note of when the coat rack is empty so they can make a trip to refill the rack the next morning.

“I just want them to be like me,” Cunningham said of the less fortunate members of the community he strives to help.

All of the recipients he’s met have been “very nice and grateful” in response to his project, he said.

Cunningham often documents his collection efforts on his Facebook page, and will pick up coat donations from around Mercer County to create a stockpile.

“We didn’t realize how much joy this small deed would bring us. We are extremely proud of him,” said Lisa Cunningham, Sandro’s mom.

“There is craziness everywhere and Sandro is showing everyone even the smallest deed can make a difference in someone’s life.”

Cunningham’s generosity isn’t limited to the winter months. In the spring and summer, he plans to collect personal hygiene items and create small care packages to hand them out to people on the street.

“I want other people to know it’s important (to give back) because we should all be treated equal,” Cunningham said.

Olivia Rizzo may be reached at orizzo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @LivRizz. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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