Pennies may not mean much anymore - the government doesn’t even make them - but they added up to thousands of dollars for a local charity thanks to shoppers rounding up at the register.

Livoti’s locations in Monmouth and Ocean counties collected spare change through their “Round Up at the Register” campaign.

On Thursday in Freehold, the stores presented a check for nearly $12,000 to the Ashley Lauren Foundation, which supports families facing childhood cancer.

Store leaders say the small donations, just pennies at a time, made a meaningful difference for New Jersey families.