The next time you convince yourself the world is a dismal, dark place with few good-hearted people, return to this page and remind yourself of a project philanthropist Johnny Jennings has devoted himself to for decades. Since 1985, the good samaritan has been saving every penny and scrap of paper he’s accumulated to raise funds for a children’s home. In the year 2017, he finally met his goal of $400,000.
GoodNewsNetwork relays that the 86-year-old was able to earn money by collecting paper, cardboard, and cans for recycling. For 32 years, he traded in items he collected for funds and stored them away so he might help others in need. His actions saved 79,000 trees, as he resold 9 million pounds of paper. Additionally, the generous individual collected $20,000 in pennies. That amount of coins is enough to stretch 24 miles!
Jennings was inspired to raise funds for the Georgia Baptist Home for Children, which is located in Ringgold, Georgia, after visiting the establishment as an 18-year-old. Touched by the expressive, young residents, he felt his life would be complete if he devoted his time to ensuring that the home has enough financial assistance to flourish. The facility cares for hundreds of children who have been rescued from abusive homes or trafficking rings, so to say his activism has changed lives is an understatement.
UPDATE: Mr. Jennings has officially donated $405,000.00 to the Georgia Baptist Home for Children and Family Ministries…
Posted by Shay Drennan-Love on Tuesday, February 21, 2017
Despite having experienced two strokes in the last month, Jennings remains committed to the task and to this day continues to transport paper waste to the Chattanooga Recycle Center. Such compassion and devotion are rarely witnessed nowadays. Shay Drennan-Love, an acquaintance of the generous elder, mentioned the same when commenting:
“He is the last of a dying breed. Our generation and the ones to follow could learn a lot from Mr. Jennings.”
This type of news needs to be shared more frequently. Please comment below and share this article if you agree!
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