Back on Aug. 11, Jenni Ware, 45, of Redwood City, Calif., was standing in line at Trader Joe’s with a cartful of groceries when she realized she didn’t have her wallet. Luckily, Carolee Hazard was standing behind her and came to her rescue.
Hazard tells the Mercury News, “She was clearly in distress.” So, without much thought, the Good Samaritan just simply paid the bill – all $207.29.
Knowing she would surely pay her back, Ware reluctantly accepted the extremely generous gesture. “I was at a low point that day,” Ware said. “I couldn’t believe it. It was a miracle,” she said.
Hazard frequently performs small random acts of kindness such as paying bridge tolls for strangers just to see their surprised faces. But this time she decided to do something more. When she returned home, Hazard updated her Facebook status to reflect her irresolution: should she feel “very good” or “very, very stupid.”
While she waited to hear the thoughts of friends and acquainances, Ware was busy tracking down her wallet at Draeger’s Markets. She promptly wrote out a check for $300 to her grocery store “angel”, with the suggestion that she take the remaining balance and enjoy a massage. It will likely come as little surprise that Hazard’s first thought was to return the extra $93, but first she consulted with her community, asking again on Facebook, “what they would do?”
Almost immediately ideas came rolling in, all suggesting she give the money to charity – they even got specific. But given the setting for the original good deed, there was one that seemed most befitting, Second Harvest Food Bank of Santa Clara and San Mateo counties. Again, as might be expected, Hazard matched Ware’s $93. Before she knew it, others were pledging the same amount. Even an 8-year-old girl who walked her mother’s $93 check over to Hazard’s house chipped in her own 93 cents.
The Trader Joe’s incident is proving wildly infectious; Hazard’s already received $1309.90, not to mention an additional $1000 in pledges. And, out of area friends are also donating $93 to their local food banks.
And while Second City Harvest is delighted over the recent flood of gifts, they’re even more moved by the lovely display of humanity. “It’s just amazing,” said spokeswoman Lynn Crocker. “The money is very significant. But on a personal level, to be so generous to a stranger, and the stranger reciprocates, it just warms my heart. It shows me that the majority of people are decent and kind and loving.”
While the recent strangers are now Facebook friends, they’re connected in a way they’ll likely remember forever, but even more, they’re wonderful reminders of all the good that goes on quietly everyday, and of the truly endless opportunity there is to do good out there.
To get in on the action, check out Feeding America to find the food bank nearest you.
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This is such a wonderful story. Paying it Forward is such a good concept, it reminds us all of what makes life good.
Lovely story, especially in a time when so many people are having to turn to food banks for the first time.
What a wonderful, generous group of people! It feels good to read a story like this.
My father in law regularly pays the tolls for cars behind him on the thruway. I’ve always thought it was wonderful.
Had to tweet this one; it’s such a lovely, heartwarming story.
I once paid for a dinner for strangers I met at a bar; the two couples were young, going out to a movie afterward, having a good time, and I was there along, enjoying watching them. I thought it would be a cool thing to do. Just for grins. Made me feel good to give something unexpected like that. We should all do things like this more often.
Thanks for sharing this story with us.
I absolutely love this story, Jen. Makes me feel warm just reading it.
What a great story. Thanks, Jen.
What a heartwarming story. These sorts of stories make my day!
Lovely, lovely, lovely. Thanks for writing this.
I like to teach my kids to do the same. I guess it goes back to the golden rule, “Do unto others…”
Not that my efforts come anywhere close to Hazard’s but I like to leave the quarter in my cart at the grocery stores that require that you put money in before retrieving your cart. I hope it makes someone’s day not to have to fish one out of their wallet.
That’s a very sweet story. I love the idea of random acts of kindness. There’s a scene in a Ramona book where a kindly older gentleman pays for the family’s burgers. He doesn’t know how much they need the help (it’s the only time they’ve gone out to eat in a year, and they can’t really afford it) but the reader does. That scene makes me cry every time.
I love this story, it’s kind of a domino effect of human kindness
Oh Jennifer, this post made my day. Thank you so much.
And oddly enough, I grew up in Redwood City.
See … now, this kind of thing I get.
Usually you only hear this kind of story during the holidays. Thanks for sharing it with us. I wish more people behaved this way, especially during such tough times.
What a wonderful story! This made my day. Thanks!
Another great story! I have SO been there at the checkout and realized I didn’t have my credit card. In my case, the cashier agreed to put my groceries aside so I could run home and retrieve my wallet. But it’s really mortifying to find yourself in that position, and I’m so glad that Hazard and Ware were able to turn it into something positive.