Anonymous donors pay off Kmart layaway accounts

Parents Forum Parent Cafe
#1

<p>What a beautiful idea! Just asked my H for us to pay off a couple of layway accounts for my birthday/Chanukah present. Off to our local kmart....</p>

<p>OMAHA, Neb. (AP) -- The young father stood in line at the Kmart layaway counter, wearing dirty clothes and worn-out boots. With him were three small children.</p>

<p>He asked to pay something on his bill because he knew he wouldn't be able to afford it all before Christmas. Then a mysterious woman stepped up to the counter.</p>

<p>"She told him, 'No, I'm paying for it,'" recalled Edna Deppe, assistant manager at the store in Indianapolis. "He just stood there and looked at her and then looked at me and asked if it was a joke. I told him it wasn't, and that she was going to pay for him. And he just busted out in tears."</p>

<p>At Kmart stores across the country, Santa seems to be getting some help: Anonymous donors are paying off strangers' layaway accounts, buying the Christmas gifts other families couldn't afford, especially toys and children's clothes set aside by impoverished parents.</p>

<p>Anonymous</a> donors pay off Kmart layaway accounts - Yahoo! Finance</p>

#2

<p>I heard about this, too. What a great idea and warm gesture for the holidays.</p>

#3

<p>How awesome. </p>

<p>I hope many of us will do this. </p>

<p>:)</p>

#4

<p>Beautiful story :)</p>

#5

<p>Ok, so just reading the OP made me cry. This is the nicest thing I've read in a very long time.</p>

<p>Today I am heading to a birthday party for my niece, she is turning 11. This year she hand wrote invitations, requesting no presents ("but I will accept hugs") and instead to bring canned goods which she will donate to the local food bank. I filled 3 paper shopping bags with tuna and soup. I feel so proud of her. And I will be providing hugs too!</p>

#6

<p>^ that's so great of your niece. </p>

<p>There is so much need everywhere and it's so heart warming to hear that kindness and generosity are alive and well.</p>

#7

<p>That's such a great story. What makes it even more impressive is that the donors wanted to stay anonymous. For them, it was about the people on the receiving end, not the recognition.</p>

#8

<p>Thanks for sharing mom3! Just got back from the local kmart...my heart grew three sizes. MERRY CHRISTMAS!!</p>

#9

<p>Us too. We paid off two layaway accounts that had just been closed because they had not been paid by the deadline. Both had toys and other items and one also had a baby stroller. Left one dollar to pay on each account to keep the account open. The cashier promised they would call the customers to let them know. We were apparently not the only ones to do this...they had a list of customers printed out who were about to run out of time in paying their layaways. Thinking about those families getting their presents was the best birthday present my H could have given me.</p>

#10

<p>Best CC thread ever.........let's keep it going!</p>

<p>Just sent my daughter over to the local Kmart.......</p>

#11

<p>What a great idea!</p>

<p>My coworkers just delivered a box full of presents to the YWCA for 2 single moms and their kids. I'm loading towels, bleach, cat and dog food in the car to take to the local pet shelter tomorrow.</p>

<p>If you are going to donate to food banks, do not go out and buy food just for donation purposes! Instead, send them the $$ you were planning to spend - with the pooled money, they can buy things in bulk and get much, much more can for the buck, so to speak.</p>

#12

<p>This is wonderful! We don't have Kmarts anymore. In this day of "privacy policies" I'm kind of surprised that they tell you about accounts. It's great though!!!</p>

#13

<p>After we returned from kmart, my girlfriend went and (apparently she told them her friend was just in) they told her when they phoned 'my guy' to tell him the toys on his layaway had been paid for by an 'angel', he cried!! I can't tell you how much joy this brought us...knowing some little girl was going to get her EZ Bake oven!!! Brilliant idea...we plan on doing it again next year. Spread the joy!!</p>

#14

<p>Love this!!!</p>

#15

<p>Random acts of kindness like this are what our world needs more of! Thanks for sharing all these wonderful stories! </p>

<p>Reminds me of some parties D attended. One of the girls only wanted school supplies, so we gave her four bags loaded with school supplies. I think everything she got loaded one or more vans that she delivered to needy kids.</p>

<p>It is heartbreaking and heartwarming all at the same time. Thanks for helping make our world a better place!</p>

#16

<p>So tell me about the logistics of this. Do I call KMart? Do I go stand near the layaway counter and wait?</p>

#17

<p>Just head to the layaway desk and tell them you'd like to pay the balance on an account that is about to be closed. We asked specifically for ones with toys and/or clothes for small children. They were very sweet and accommodating and we were able to choose which bill to pay...ours included an EZ bake oven, trucks for small boys, etc. Perfect! The staff was so sweet and touched by this (other people had been in earlier)...the counter clerk turned to her manager and said we have another angel! It was a moving experience....have fun and enjoy 'YOUR' Christmas gift!</p>

#18

<p>As far as privacy goes they never told us the names of the people whose accounts we paid and they won't know who we are.</p>

#19

<p>^^yes, mom3...true, they did not share that info. Only the items on layaway.</p>

#20

<p>We don't have a K-Mart anymore, but I think our local Wal-Mart (which had done away with layaway) reinstituted layaway for Christmas. I'm going to try later today and I'll let you know. </p>

<p>Last night, we were at a Christmas party with a group of people we socialize with. The owners of the hall, which is often rented out for events, made an announcement. They said a few weeks ago the heating system broke down and needed to be replaced ASAP. They were only going to have partial repairs done because of the cost, but the company came and repaired the whole thing and told them an anonymous donor had paid for it. They assumed it was someone in attendance and just wanted to say thank you.</p>

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