BUFFALO, N.Y. — It all started in a small house on Buffalo’s East Side. Tesha Parker created Rooted in Love, a non-profit organization that distributes food and toiletries to those in need, in honor of her late grandmother’s giving heart.

"It became our normal as kids. She would take us to soup kitchens on Christmas and serve people that didn’t have the same lifestyle as us," Parker said. "She passed away right before our first event, but it’s been a wonderful thing for us to do in the community and keep her legacy alive."

Now four years later, she’s continuing that legacy and doing even more.

Parker is teaming up with Buffalo Bills offensive lineman Dion Dawkins' organization, Dion's Dreamers, on a community fridge, bringing those items directly to those in need.

"People need a place to count on in their time of need and Rooted is that," Dawkins said.

Parker said it was important to her that they were able to branch out making it easier to cover all parts of the community.

"On the east side they have food pantries, but a lot of them are limited to specific zip codes or specific types of people that are more impoverished than others," said Parker. "So with Rooted and us not taking income guidelines, it was just an opportunity for us to try and collaborate with other organizations that were servicing the same population as us."

Located outside the Resource Council of Western New York at 347 East Ferry Street, it’s an anonymous way for those in need to shop with no strings attached.

"To be able to use our resources and help people get fresh items and their basic necessities for living and do it in a way where it doesn’t make them feel embarrassed, I think it’s a wonderful opportunity," Parker said.

As for Dawkins, he says his role in helping with the fridge is the least he can do for a city that embraced him with open arms from his first day on the field.

"This community shows why it's truly special on game day on events, they always show up and show out so I’m going to always show up and show out for the community," Dawkins said.

For more information on the Rooted in Love and how you can help click here.