New Jersey gym owner encourages charity donations instead of charging customers

MARLTON, New Jersey (WPVI) -- A small businessman in Marlton, New Jersey has used the difficult circumstances of the pandemic to help other businesses in his community.

Anthony Capozzoli, owner and operator of Smart Bodies personal training gym, had his business shaken up back in April.

He made the decision to set up fitness classes for Zoom, but instead of charging members, he encouraged a donation amount of their choice that would go right back out to another struggling business or charity.

"I just thought that would be a great idea at a time when people could look out for each other. We could just keep helping the community and every week we just picked a different charity," said Capozzoli.

So far, he's donated to organizations like the Animal Welfare Association, Moorestown Community House, and even raised some money for a cause close to his heart, for employees of his own family's South Philly bar who weren't making a paycheck.

"We took it upon ourselves to make it a donation to all the bartenders at Ray's 'Happy Birthday' Bar. We were looking out for not just communities around us but also people in need," said Capozzoli.

"It's also helped bring them together as a family, too, because I made sure that the exercises are easy enough for anyone to do it. So if the kids are doing to join in, they also have a version that's much much harder," Capozzoli added.

Gyms are about wellness on a lot of different levels and that's kind of what Capozzoli is showing-- so you know it's about being physically fit but also you're helping people and making them happy at the same time.

"Everybody knows that the best way to relieve stress is exercise, so were here to help with that," said Capozzoli.