Anonymous Donor Gives a $150 Gift Card To Every Household In Their Town

Between people who can't afford to pay rent because their hours have been cut and those who are finding it hard to track down groceries and supplies, it's a strange time in our history.

Earlham's mayor told reporters that he was contacted back on March 26th by someone saying they were calling on behalf of an anonymous donor. The call got interesting.

Earlham is dealing with a problem that many small towns face — the decimation of small businesses in the face of big box expansion. The COVID-19 pandemic has made things that much tougher.

While Mayor Lillie had some idea of what was going to happen, nobody else did. Residents were surprised to find something totally unexpected in their mailboxes just one day after Lillie's mysterious phone call.

Inside an envelope, each resident found a series of gift cards for local businesses, totalling $150 in all. Multiplied by 549 households, the total amounts to $82,350, which will no doubt help these struggling businesses.

The donor didn't have a message apart from their desire to support the local economy. But Mayor Lillie penned this letter to explain where the generous gift was coming from.

About 30 miles west of Des Moines, Earlham is a quaint, sleepy town on the plains. Like virtually every other community, Earlham's 549 residents are most self-isolating at home as non-essential businesses have shut their doors.

Mayor Lillie put out an announcement stating that those who don't need the gift cards can donate them to City Hall, where they'll be given to families in need.

Stories like this — ones that reinforce human generosity rather than greed — are just what we need right now. Let us know how you're holding up in the comments below!

h/t: KCCI