Mr. James (first name withheld), a Texas janitor who had financial woes, obtained $160,000 from GoFundMe upon the initiative of high school students enrolled in the school he was working at.
GoFundMe To The Rescue
After hearing his story, three students began a fundraising campaign for him on GoFundMe. The fundraiser was titled Getting Mr. James Out of This School.
The fundraiser says, Hey guys I’m having a fundraiser for our janitor who is struggling to pay his rent. He had to leave retirement to continue to pay his rent that was raised. Just a little will change his life!!
While the initial goal was $10,000, donations poured in and reached the $160,000 mark in a week.
“Nobody deserves to work their whole life,” student Greyson Thurman told FOX 4 News Dallas-Fort Worth. “They deserve to enjoy everything.”
Students said that he was pleasantly surprised when he heard the good news.
“When we told him, he was kind of like, ‘Dang, that’s alright!'” student Marti Yousko recalled.
“He doesn’t want any part of the spotlight,” principal Jason Hooper said. “He’s very appreciative of what these students have done.”
Mr. James is reportedly still working for Callisburg Independent School District and has not handed in his resignation.
Retirement dilemma of an American elderly
At present, due to a lack of adequate retirement income and the continuing rise of prices and expenses, many older Americans depend on the younger generation for financial and economic support.
That is if they have a family to look after them, but what if they don’t have anyone left or are living alone?
The growth of the nation’s older population offers chances for people to live better and longer, and in the places and situations they choose – but only if clearly informed of the challenges involved, such as the affordability of commodities and services in a given location, suitability of housing, and the availability of supportive services. This will be particularly true for the growing number of solo households in their 80s and beyond.
Mr. James is already 80 years old and living alone. With what the compassionate high school students have done for him, there is that certainty – granting that he will wisely use the money — that he will be able to survive even after he retires.