Have you seen this refreshing story from Jupiter, Florida? A 63-year-old resident of Jupiter named Cara Young found out that her local Winn Dixie was closing its doors. This local Florida shopper was well known at this store. One of the cashiers joked about hiding when Young would come in to shop. Why? Young would always request paper bags versus the plastic ones. But, on April 18, there was no joking. Young asked the store’s employees about what was left. They told her. But, it really did not matter. Young decided that she would buy the remaining supplies that were in the store. When she got to the register, she paid $300 for about $3000 worth of groceries. This Good Samaritan bought these supplies to donate them to local charities. Young gave to the Edna W. Runner Tutorial Center in Jupiter, Joann’s Cottage in Palm Beach Gardens and the Alpert Jewish Family & Children’s Service.
The Edna W. Runner Tutorial Center is an afterschool program. Anna Poulin, the assistant executive director of the center, said that they “greatly appreciated the snacks that were donated to the children.” Young donated baby formula to Joann’s Cottage, which is a Place of Hope organization that is set up to help young mothers and expectant mothers. Joshua Kolkana serves as the director of independent living, adoption and foster care at Place of Hope. He states that Joann’s Cottage receives some funding from the State of Florida but donations are much-needed help to serve the nearly 350 people that they help on a daily basis. Kolkana also said that “donations that come directly to the women in need lift a burden that they are already carrying.”
Young thoroughly enjoyed her benevolent experience. She plans to do more by working with more charities now that she has retired from her interior design career. The question now becomes, “How many more people in this world are like Cara Young?” If you are reading this article, think about these few questions. When was the last time that you took time out to help someone in need? What can be done to provide time and resources to help marginalized people?
