How one family in Milford turned grief into a community app that benefits others. For Christina Prete and her husband Buddy Prete, helping others has always been their top priority in life.
After Prete’s father had passed, she and her husband came up with a way to carry on his legacy while also helping the community at the same time.
Towards the end of his life, Christina spent a lot of time taking care of him. She had helped her father write his monthly donation checks to charities like the Beth-El Center, Tunnel to Towers, Wounded Warrior, as well as various Catholic organizations.
After he passed, they sold Christina’s childhood home and decided to invest in the idea of creating an app that would make it easier for nonprofits and donors to connect, calling it Shopping Anyway. Creating Shopping Anyway, Christina worked with a design company in Shelton to bring her vision to life. The app allows non-profits to list items they need by specific amounts.
For example, if a food pantry needs 50 cans of soup and someone brings 10, the list automatically changes to 40. This helps nonprofits avoid getting too much of one item and not enough of another.
The app also lets organizations post volunteer opportunities and events. If a user marks a nonprofit as a favorite, they will get phone notifications whenever that organization adds a new need.
Prete explains that “the app creates a way to really communicate.”
The couple’s website says, “Whether you’re a donor eager to contribute essential items like food, supplies, or your time, or a nonprofit looking to connect with generous supporters, Shopping Anyway makes it easy.”
It continues, “Donors can discover local causes that align with their passions – whether it’s fighting hunger, supporting education, or helping vulnerable populations. Nonprofits can showcase their most pressing needs and attract the right contributors who are passionate about their mission.”
One of the biggest moments for the app occurred after a fire near a homeless encampment in Milford; The Beth El Center received many phone calls from people asking how they could help.
Instead of answering each call separately, the center posted specific needs on the Shopping Anyway app, listing things such as clothing sizes needed as well as personal items. “That’s exactly why it was created,” Prete said before elaborating, “People [just] want to help.”
One day, the app was downloaded 45 times alone.
Right now, 14 local nonprofits are using the app, and more are expected to join. Christina hopes that it will one day be used all across the country.
The Pretes both have deep roots in Milford, that being why they created this app to give back to the community. They both graduated from Jonathan Law High School in 1989. Buddy was in the Key Club back then, and Christina was in Keyettes. Even as teenagers, they were already planning out what they could do to give back.
“We’ve always had that mindset of how can we help? We’re always looking to chip in,” said Prete.
That mindset never wavered. Prete served on the board of directors for the American Red Cross in Milford for 10 years and later at the state level for two years.
She was also part of the Milford Education Foundation from 2012 to 2022 and helped with several PTAs in town. She has done a lot of good things with this app, and it’s definitely for the right cause.
It’s important to have an app like this since donations really help out shelters and allow them to be the best version of themselves.
Right now, she hopes the app continues to get bigger and become a powerful tool for nonprofits everywhere. But what she really wants is to keep her family’s legacy alive, and she is doing a great job at that.
If interested, Shopping Anyway can be downloaded in the app store, or go to the couple’s website here.
