High school seniors managed to secure a quarter-million dollars for their sweet, 80-year-old janitor who had to come out of retirement after his rent went up.
The money was raised through a GoFundMe, which started out as a simple goal of $10,000, but quickly took on a goal of its own. Several seniors at Callisburg high school in Texas noticed their school had a new janitor: “Mr. James” an 80-year-old former retiree whose rent had gone up $400 and needed a job to support it.
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Believing they could use their whippersnapper knowledge of the internet and social media to help out, they got the idea to open a GoFundMe to help 80-year-old Mr. James get back to doing 80-year-old things. “It’s crazy to see something that, we knew people would have wanted to help,” said senior Marti Yousko, “But we didn’t know it would blow up.”
A single TikTok video was posted by senior Greyson Thurman showing Mr. James cleaning the halls, along with a GoFundMe aiming to help James continue to live comfortably. “I have 2,000 followers and that was enough to get the word out,” said Thurman. Raising $10,000 in 12 hours, most of the donations came from students.
“It’s just amazing,” said Principal Jason Hooper, ”You know of the need that was met because of three kind kids, but of all of our students who have pitched in to help that need.”
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Local news reported on the fund drive in mid-February when there was still a 5-digit sum on the table, but it had to be turned off after passing $270,000 in order to get Mr. James the money as soon as possible.
Donations came from all over the country and even beyond, wishing the short-term janitor a happy retirement, and congratulating the students for their brilliant idea.
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