Thirteen-year-old Joshua LeRette has spent the past four years raising thousands of dollars for his local food pantry. He recently donated $12,583 that slowly accumulated over the years, according to KCCI.
The Iowa teenager started his compassionate venture in the third grade after he heard one of his classmates didn’t have food at Thanksgiving. In response, Joshua asked his friends and family to donate canned goods in lieu of his birthday presents. He was able to gather 100 cans from his request to donate to the local food pantry in Red Oak and hasn’t stopped since.
Joshua slowly built up the cash for his most recent donation with bake sales and lemonade stands. “I’ve seen people pay more than $50 for one of his pies,” his mom, Dawn LeRette said. The teenage entrepreneur has also invited other community members to donate their pies as well.
But Joshua doesn’t take in just high donations. One woman who could only contribute a dollar was allowed to choose anything on the bake sale table. “Those are the people we do this for,” Dawn said.
The motivation behind Joshua’s benevolent work is to help kids in school.
“He thinks if kids are not thinking about being hungry, they will be more focused on school,” Dawn said.
According to the Christ Cupboard, a food pantry run by First Covenant Church in Red Oak, recipients of the donated goods are often struggling to make ends meet. Many of them have low-paying jobs or don’t qualify for governmental assistance. Others are recovering addicts or recent prison charges who need help while getting back on their feet.
With the Thanksgiving holiday on the horizon, volunteers are always needed to help local food pantries sort, organize and serve food. Some also accept other donations, such as cosmetic or hygiene products or baby supplies.
h/t: CBN News
Photo courtesy: Getty Images/Mango Stock
