The last two weeks have been a whirlwind for two unlikely friends.
When Chauncy Black walked up to Matt White outside a Memphis Kroger store and offered to carry his groceries to his car in exchange for a box of glazed donuts, he had no idea that his whole life was about to change. Matt accepted Chauncy’s offer and decided to take him shopping for more than just donuts.
“He said that he had come all the way out here with the hopes of someone buying him something to eat because he and his mother had nothing at home,” Matt wrote in a Facebook post. “So, needless to say, he and I went on a shopping spree. We had so much fun! We got cereal and chips and frozen veggies, pizza, Cheertos, melons and pasta, peanut butter, milk, soap, tooth brushes, just a little bit of everything.”
During their shopping spree, Matt learned that Chauncy is a straight-A student who picks up odd jobs wherever he can to help support his sick mother. Matt dropped Chauncy off at home after their trip so he didn’t have to take the bus.
He was truly humbled by what he saw. “He and his mom had nothing,” Matt wrote. “They didn’t even have beds or furniture. They were sleeping on pads made out of sleeping bags, they had two lamps and nothing in their fridge.”
Matt knew he had to do something to help, so he started a GoFundMe page in Chauncy’s honor. The original goal of the page was to raise enough money to buy Chauncy a push lawn mower, which costs around $250, so that he could begin his own lawn service. But the page soon went viral and raised over $300,000 in just 14 days.
Chauncy can’t believe the outpouring of support. “It means a whole lot to us and our family,” he told CNN. “We are very thankful to all of those who reached out to get us into a better home and a safe environment.”
His mother, Barbara Martin, was choking back tears as she spoke to CNN. “I’m still stunned,” she said. “I just don’t know what to say. It’s just so wonderful. I just know God is good and he sent a good person into our lives.”
The money raised will be put into a trust that will be used to finance Chauncy’s education and get his family into a new home, Matt told WMC Action News 5. The family will also be meeting with financial advisors to ensure that the money is put to good use.