Normal Shopping Day
It was a typical shopping day for Matt White. He was at the local grocery store in Memphis, Tennessee. After filling his cart with fruits and vegetables, he headed back home. It was on his way out of the store that he met a teen.
The boy he met was politely offering him his help. He wasn’t asking for money, nor was he stealing anything. Matt was impressed by the teen’s humble attitude. From that moment, their lives changed completely.
Who Is Matt White?
Matt White was 30 years old when he met the teen. He graduated from college and lived in Memphis. Matt’s routine included going to the grocery store every week, where he would buy essentials and goodies.
Matt’s favorite grocery store was Kroger. It was located a bit far from his home, but he would drive to this place in search of supplies every week. One day, Matt went to Kroger, paid for his items, and headed towards his car.
Meet By Chance
On his way out, Matt saw a boy approaching him. He could see from far away that the teen looked cheerless and embarrassed. Matt checked around and noticed that the boy was on his own.
Matt looked the boy in the eye and wondered what he wanted. “Was the teen homeless? Is he going to ask me for some money? Or he just wants directions?” Matt thought about every possible situation for the boy before he could even say a word.
This is Chauncy Jones Black
The teen quickly approached Matt and introduced himself. His name was Chauncy Jones Black. That day, the 16-year-old boy took a bus to Kroger to offer people his help in exchange for food.
Chauncy hoped that at least one person would give him some money. But he wasn’t asking for it for free. He wanted to work for these people who are willing to accept the trade. When he saw Matt, it was almost time to take the next bus back home.
He’d Do Anything
The moment Matt saw Chauncy, he could easily tell that he was very skinny. The boy looked ashamed and heartbroken. Chauncy was so hungry that he told Matt he would do anything for him. He just wanted to have something to eat.
Chauncy offered Matt to carry his groceries to the car for him. In return, he asked for a box of doughnuts.“In my heart, I screamed a loud ‘yes!’ But to him, I just chuckled and said, ‘yeah dude, we’ll get you some doughnuts,'” Matt said.
A New Beginning
Matt couldn’t believe Chauncy’s condition. The teen was underweight and starving, and he just wanted a box of doughnuts. Matt couldn’t avoid these facts and started to ask the boy some questions about him.
As they were walking to get the doughnuts, Chauncy told Matt that he lived at his mother’s, but they were poor. His only belongings were a bus pass and some clothes in his backpack. Matt listened carefully and started planning something big for the teen.
Matt Wanted To Help
Chauncy simply asked for a box of doughnuts, and Matt happily complied. But he felt that he had to do something else to help the teen. The box wouldn’t change Chauncy’s situation at all.
Even though Matt understood that he wasn’t responsible for Chauncy, he was impressed to see a young boy offering to work in exchange for some food to fill his belly. He wouldn’t ignore him; he wanted to do something for him.
Big-Hearted
Suddenly, the two strangers were inside the grocery store, walking down the aisles and talking about life. Meanwhile, Matt was filling up the shopping cart with essential items: milk, cereal, pasta, toothpaste, and so on.
Chauncy was shocked. He couldn’t believe a complete stranger would buy so many groceries, apart from the box of doughnuts. The teen was overwhelmed to see such a generous act from Matt.
The Teen Wanted To Change His Reality
Chauncy thanked Matt for the help he was giving him. The chat continued while Matt kept on picking up groceries until it got personal. Matt asked the teen about his mom and the school.
Matt learned that Chauncy was a clever boy, as he got straight A’s in school. He lived with his mom, but they didn’t have much money. That’s why he wanted to get a job: to help his mother pay the bills. He was an honest boy.
He Wanted To Pay Back
Chauncy told Matt everything about his life, and he constantly referred to himself as poor. Matt understood that this word was part of him. It was his reality. As he listened to the teen, he became more convinced he was doing the right thing for him.
Even though Chauncy had no money, he had something else: a dream. The boy wanted to be an entrepreneur and to be able to pay back the money he was given from people in the neighborhood. He wanted to be someone who can help others in need.
Time To Go Home
Shopping time was out. Matt kindly paid for all the groceries and handed them over to Chauncy. The boy was sad that he wouldn’t see Matt again, but he had to rush back home. Otherwise, his mom would be worried about him.
But Matt had other plans in mind for the teen. He offered Chauncy to drop him off at his house. He didn’t want Chauncy to take a bus with all the groceries. Matt didn’t know what he was about to see at Chauncy’s.
Chauncy’s Home
Once they got to Chauncy’s, Matt truly understood what the teen meant by “being poor” and having “no food.” Matt shared, “I gave him a ride home so that he didn’t have to take the bus, and when we got to his house, I was truly humbled.”
“They had two lamps and nothing in their fridge. Nothing,” he continued. Matt was shocked to see how the teen and his mom were living. They were so poor that they didn’t even have milk or vegetables.
About Barbara Black
At Chauncy’s home, his mother was waiting for him. Her name was Barbara Black, a generous and tender woman. She was very grateful to see all the groceries Matt had bought for them.
However thankful Barbara was, she was also suffering. Matt noticed that Barbara wouldn’t stop shaking. She had a condition that prevented her from living a normal life. Matt later realized that their lives depended on Chauncy.
Matt Planned A Change
Matt started unpacking all the groceries with Chauncy’s help. The teen was very excited to see plenty of food to fill up his fridge. Matt noticed that he was very joyful, almost like a kid.
After finishing the unpacking, Matt started his departure. Before leaving, he gave both Chauncy and Barbara a big hug. Matt knew that it wasn’t a goodbye, it was a see you later.
It Wasn’t Enough For Matt
Matt left the Black’s house, but he couldn’t stop thinking about them. Before leaving the town, he asked some neighbors about them, and he learned that the family was having a bad time because of Barbara’s condition.
Matt knew that the groceries wouldn’t last more than two weeks. He also noticed that Chauncy was wearing old clothes, probably because he couldn’t afford new clothing. Matt was determined to make a change for the family.
A Call For Help
Even though Matt could afford the groceries for the Black family, he wasn’t a wealthy man. He earned enough money to live well and pay his rent. He realized that he needed a lot of money to change the Black’s reality.
Matt shared on his social media his experience with the Black family. He posted the whole story on Facebook and asked others to help him. He hoped people would be as motivated as he was.
Matt’s Plan Was Just Starting
Matt’s post quickly caught everybody’s attention. In the post, he attached a link to a GoFundMe page so that people could contribute with monetary donations. On the page, there was an interview with Chauncy, who personally explained his situation.
The GoFundMe page also included Chauncy’s size of clothing and shoes. Matt wanted people to collaborate with any sort of material thing. Even minor contributions would make a significant change to the family.
Donations
Matt was surprised to see how popular his post was. People started to get involved with the cause and made donations for the family. Chauncy was overwhelmed to see how many people would sympathize with him.
Suddenly, a lot of money was coming in. Matt’s plan was to buy a lawnmower so that Chauncy could offer neighbors to cut their lawns and earn some money before starting tenth grade.
Contributions Wouldn’t Stop
Matt’s post was seen by thousands of people from all over the country. They were sending Chauncy both food and clothes. Some people even offered Chauncy a job, others dental care. Matt was amazed to see others joining him to make a change.
Contributions kept coming in, and Matt wondered if he should change the GoFundMe goal, which was initially a lawnmower. So many people were contributing that it was possible to get Chauncy a college education or a house.
Raised Enough To Make A Change
This story has a happy ending. After the Facebook post went viral, Matt raised nearly $340,000 for the Black family. It was a sum that gave the family a chance to have a better life and a bright future for the teenager.
Barbara was thrilled to see so many people helping her and her kid. “I did the best I could. For the past few years, Chauncy has been taking care of me. He’s a good boy. I couldn’t ask for better,” she said.
Matt Reached Out To People
After going viral, Matt renamed the GoFundMe page “Chauncy’s Chance.” Suddenly, his story was so popular that it was shared in the news. The whole country knew the teen and his mom. However, he remained humble.
“It’s so awesome – my life has been completely changed. I can’t go anywhere now without people recognizing me. They go, ‘Oh, my God, you’re Chauncy!’ And I’m like, ‘Yes, ma’am.’ I’m very happy and very grateful to everybody,” he told People magazine.
He Was Famous
Fame is always a double-edged sword. It was good that everybody knew about Chauncy's case and that they wanted to help. However, the country suddenly knew that he had a huge sum of money, and he lived in an unsafe neighborhood. From that moment, he had to be cautious.
Chauncy and his mother didn’t know what it was to have a lot of money on their hands. “My relatives were like when you get some money can you help me, asking for help in business and all that kind of stuff,” Chauncy shared.
Help Needed
Chauncy was the one who first offered his help, now he was asking for it. He collected $340,000, a huge sum for a teenager. At that moment, Matt was still involved with his cause. He wouldn’t turn his back on the family.
Matt wanted to make sure that Chauncy and his mom could make the most of it with the money they were donated, so he contacted a lawyer. He wanted to set up a trust so that the family doesn’t pay high taxes.
Matt Was Fully Motivated
Matt’s action could have ended in filling a shopping cart and paying for it, but he always wanted more. It seemed that it was never enough for Matt. He found ways to dedicate time to the Black family, even though he had other obligations.
An interesting detail about Matt White is that he is a Christian. He believed that his faith was motivating him at all times. Matt claimed that “in every sense of the word, God has provided,” explaining that his actions were part of God’s plan.
People Got Involved
What happened to Chauncy wasn’t something that happens every day (unfortunately), but it was life-changing for him. Matt encouraged people to find their own Chauncys out there to help them in the best way they can.
Sometimes you don’t need to spend thousands of dollars on someone. Minor actions are the ones that truly matter in these types of situations. Matt did what he thought was best for Chauncy, and now he is inviting people to do the best they can and help others.
The Black Family Always Thanked Matt
Chauncy and his mom were forever grateful to Matt for what he did for them. But Matt insisted that it was all part of God’s plan and that he was the one who made it happen. Matt’s faith was moving mountains.
Chauncy described Matt as “the nicest person” and that “nobody ever cared more than he did.” On the other side, Barbara said that “he’s family, that’s what he is. He’s in our lives forever now. He’s family.” These words filled Matt with joy.
Matt Has A Record
Helping people was something that Matt usually did as part of his daily routine. In fact, he finds comfort in it. Helping Chauncy wasn’t his first work of charity. He had previously helped other people in need.
After all, Matt found a way to help people through social media. He posts on Facebook everything he does to help children in need. He also shares touching stories just like Chauncy’s.
GoFundMe Made It Possible
Chauncy’s case went viral because Matt opened a GoFundMe page. But Matt had previously done the same for a man. JB Kibbler was a bottle collector who was blind. Matt made his case public, and people instantly got involved.
A couple of years ago, Matt found Kibbler looking for cans in the rubbish. Kibbler used to collect bottles and cans to earn money. The man received $36,000 from donors, a huge sum that changed not only his life but also the lives of his daughters and granddaughters.
Thank God For The Internet
Apart from Matt and his willingness to help the family, this wouldn’t be possible without access to the Internet. GoFundMe works as a fundraising site. A case is presented online, and people can find more about it and send their contributions.
Even though GoFundMe is a great tool, it is not free of charge. The site takes 7.9% of the donations as commission. Nothing is free nowadays, not even charity. But the results are worth the effort.
His Life Changed
Matt’s actions changed the lives of Chauncy and Barbara. Helping others is sometimes as simple as that: you need to pay attention to those in need. Small actions can make huge differences.
“The focus of this is not me and what I did, because I really didn’t do anything. I just captured a story and put it online, but our community, Memphis, picked up this family and put them on a platform,” Matt shared.