We’re all strangers to each other until one of us makes an effort to reach out and touch the other person’s life. Chauncy Jones Black and Matt White led completely separate lives until one day a chance encounter caused their paths to intertwine.
Chauncy’s angel could easily have been working late on that fateful day, when out of all the people he could have approached in that grocery store it was Matt White that he reached out to. This chance encounter sparked a domino effect that changed this poor boys’ life and gave Chauncy an opportunity he never in his wildest dreams thought was within his reach.
The Fateful Night That Changed Two Lives
Matt White was just your average Joe doing his best to be an upstanding citizen. There was nothing particularly different about him at first glance, but this story proves that not all heroes wear capes and angels do not always have wings
One fateful night, when he was returning home from the grocery store in Memphis Tennessee, Matt met a boy that touched his heart enough to move him to action and give more than was expected. Unbeknownst to him, this was the start of a beautiful friendship.
A CHANCE ENCOUNTER
If a stranger would approach you out of nowhere, how would you respond? It could be anyone, a beggar, a tourist, or someone who is lost and asking for directions. An upstanding citizen would typically help them out and go about their way thinking they had done something good for the day.
But Matt White decided to go the extra mile that day and Chauncy’s story proves that luck truly favors the bold. They didn’t know it yet, but both of them would be receiving a blessing from this chance encounter.
AN ORDINARY DAY
The story begins with Matt White, a typical 30-year-old guy with a heart of gold. He studied music and was a college graduate, and he was out for his weekly grocery haul thinking nothing out of the ordinary would occur that day.
Matt was shopping at Kroger that day, a nice grocery store in Memphis Tennessee. He was about to walk towards the sliding doors of the store and call it a day when he noticed something odd.
WHEN STRANGERS MEET
Matt was about to exit the store when he noticed a kid hesitantly approaching him. The two strangers locked eyes, and Matt knew something strange was about to happen. His curiosity sparked, Matt considered a bunch of scenarios that might play out.
The boy looked meek and humble, embarrassed even, rather than aggressive. Matt thought he was just going to ask for directions, but when the boy mustered his courage and spoke to him, he found out that it was more than that.
CHAUNCY’S OPPORTUNITY
The boy was Chauncy Jones Black. He was not from that neighborhood, but it was not by accident. He traveled by bus to the “upper-class side of town” to look for a job; anything would do in exchange for food for the day.
The boy was determined to earn his supper, and he certainly did not want to beg for spare change. He explained that he was going to catch the last bus home in an hour and he needed Matt’s help. This seemingly simple act of courage from Chauncy is the catalyst that gave him the break he needed.
A LOUD YES!
Chauncy was a simple boy as Matt recalled. The boy seemed hungry and desperate for some food but was conscientious enough to work for his food, a trait Matt admired, and he was excited to help the kid out.
Chauncy offered to carry Matt’s groceries to his car and in exchange, Matt would give him a box of doughnuts. Later Matt recalled, “In my heart, I screamed a loud yes!’ but to him, I just chuckled and said, ‘yeah dude, we’ll get you some doughnuts.”
STRANGERS TURNED TO FRIENDS
Matt’s heart went out to the kid. The 16-year-old Chauncy was mild mannered and unassuming. The boy only wanted a box of doughnuts for his supper. Matt couldn’t help himself, he needed to know the kid’s story and what brought him there.
They started to converse and Chauncy opened up about his life. As it turned out, the boy lived with his mother and they were struggling financially. He said that all he had was a bus pass and the clothes on his back. The young man continued to tell Matt his story.
THE BEST BOX OF DOUGHNUTS
As promised Matt bought the kid a box of doughnuts, but Matt felt like he could do more for him. He was not asking for anything other than a meal, if you could call it that, but Matt saw potential in Chauncy and felt like he could do more for him than simply offer a few empty calories.
Matt admired Chauncy’s work ethic, and during the short time they chatted while getting the doughnuts, Matt became convinced that he could change the boy’s life. Unbeknownst to Chauncy, Matt was already brewing up a plan in the back of his mind.
AN UNEXPECTED GROCERY HAUL
The two quickly bonded, and Matt found out more about the young stranger. As they were talking, he inconspicuously led Chauncy to different sections of the stores while loading his cart with all kinds of necessities from food to toiletries.
He thought of everything that the kid would need, and Chauncy was beside himself when he finally realized what was happening. Matt made Chauncy happy, and he had nothing but gratitude for the act of kindness.
THE BOND THAT WOULD LAST A LIFETIME
The strangers kept talking, and Matt learned more about the mysterious kid who stopped him by the exit of the store. Chauncy, as it turned out, was no ordinary student. He excelled scholastically among his peers.
He managed to keep his grades up even though he worked odd jobs after class to help his mom pay the rent. Matt was impressed that this kid managed to focus on his schoolwork despite the hardships he faced.
CHAUNCY’S HOPES AND DREAMS
It was apparent to Matt that the kid was poor, and Chauncy made it clear that he identified as such during their conversation. Matt didn’t like the fact that this kid saw himself that way, and wanted him to know that his circumstances could change.
Matt noticed that the young man had low self-esteem when it came to his financial situation. Matt then changed course and asked about the kid’s hopes and dreams. He discovered that Chauncy wanted to be an entrepreneur and give back to his community once he made it big.
COMING HOME
Matt happily paid for the kid's groceries and helped him out of the sliding doors of the store. The two were about to part ways when Chauncy thanked Matt for his generosity; he was about to head to the bus stop to catch the last bus.
He could not have asked for anything more, but Matt had a different idea. He offered to drive the kid back to his house because he could not bear the thought of him carrying all of those bags back home by himself. Chauncy graciously accepted.
THE GRAVITY OF THE SITUATION
Matt happily took Chauncy back home and the two had lots to chat about during the drive. The boy was relieved that he didn’t have to carry the groceries by himself on a long bus ride home late at night.
When they arrived at the boy’s home, Matt understood the gravity of the boy’s living situation. He realized that the stories he told him were no exaggeration; their home was cramped and there was scarcely any food in the kitchen.
POOREST OF THE POOR
The family had it hard. Matt recalled the dim lighting and lack of food in the fridge. He realized that Chauncy’s box of doughnuts would have been the only thing he and his mother had to eat if he had not offered to buy him groceries.
Matt saw how Chauncy had to live, and he hated to think that this kid was doing his best to help his mom make ends meet and excel in school simultaneously, all at such a young age, without any help. Matt was determined to make a difference.
CHAUNCY’S MOTHER
Matt happily greeted Chauncy’s mom, Barbara. He had heard a lot about her and was excited to finally meet her. The two were grateful to be able to meet and Chauncy told his mom the story of how Matt was a stranger that helped him out.
Barbara loved hearing from his son how he and Matt met, with the groceries as happy proof of their fateful meeting. She thanked God for the blessing. Chauncy did not only bring a box of doughnuts for supper, he bought them enough food for the whole week.
GRATEFUL SOULS
The mother and son were deeply thankful for the unexpected blessing they received that day, and no words were enough to thank Matt. Matt was a bit embarrassed that they were so gracious. He saw how beautiful the two souls were.
But Matt noticed something else about Barbara while he was there; it seemed that Barbara had a condition that caused her to tremble. Going from one place to the other proved to be a challenge for her, but she did her best despite her condition.
STRIVING THROUGH ADVERSITY
Matt realized that Barbara’s condition was a chronic one. The two were living off of the disability checks that they got from the government, which was definitely not enough to pay for housing, food, utilities, and other necessities. Yet through all these adversities, Chauncy grew up as a fine young man.
Matt understood why Chauncy was self-conscious about his financial situation. Growing up with a single mother with a disability was no walk in the park, and Chauncy had to grow up fast and learn to provide for himself and his mom. Despite that, or perhaps because of that, the young man grew up with an excellent work ethic.
OVERJOYED
The fridge had never looked more full, and that brought tears to the Black’s eyes as they thanked the stranger that made that happen. Matt was overjoyed when he saw the joy in Chauncy’s eyes.
The kid from the store no longer looked shy; he was beaming from ear to ear and looked like a kid again. The trio shared a few more stories and got to know each other a bit better before Matt left.
SECRETE PLAN
Matt and Chauncy felt like close friends after spending a couple of hours with each other. That had never been the boy’s plan, all he wanted was a box of doughnuts to take home to his mother.
The two shared a hug and Chauncy thought that would be the end of it. He thought that that would be the last time he would see Matt. There was no reason to think otherwise. But Matt had other plans; his heart of gold could not leave them like that.
DIGGING DEEP
Matt decided to take the Black family under his wing. He wanted to find out more about them, so he dug deeper into their situation and learned that they had been living in that condition for quite some time.
He found out how good of a kid Chauncy was to his mother that despite their poor living condition the kid never sorted to begging or getting into trouble. He even was a straight-A student and was doing odd jobs on the side to help out with paying the rent.
MATERIAL THINGS
Matt had seen the horrible living conditions that Chauncy and his mother had to endure, and he wanted to make a lasting difference. He wanted to make a lasting impact on the young man’s life as well as his mother. He was determined to do all he could.
During his investigation into the Black family’s background, Matt learned that Chauncy had not stepped into a mall to buy himself clothes for years. When he said that all he had was the clothes off his back, he was not kidding. That was literally all that he had.
MATT’S PREDICAMENT
Matt knew he wanted to help Chauncy out from the first time he saw the boy’s living conditions, but the problem was that he was an average guy with a modest income. It was enough to provide for himself, but not much more.
He knew that taking on this project would take a lot more money than he had. His heart of gold was unfortunately not enough to provide for the family financially. He knew he would need help raising funds to help the Blacks.
LABOR OF LOVE
That was when Matt had the idea of using social media to reach out to a broader range of people. From all the information he gathered about the Black family, he knew he could create enough material for a post.
Matt shared the family’s story on Facebook, describing the poor living conditions of the mother and son. He also shared his thoughts on what a great kid Chauncy was and how the family needed the help of strangers to make a lasting impact.
PUTTING THINGS INTO ACTION
Matt had all the information he needed about the Black family, which helped him formulate a detailed description of their situation. Chauncy needed an opportunity to live up to his full potential, so Matt reached out to like-minded people who would want to help them.
He wanted to translate the views, comments, likes, and shares of his post into tangible donations for the Black family. So he attached a GoFundMe page to his Facebook post and hoped for the best.
VIEWS AND LIKES
Matt did a great job of writing the post for the Black family, and it soon started gaining traction. It started with a few likes and shares, but it was soon followed by donations from strangers touched by Chauncy and Matt’s story.
It was a wise move for Matt to attach a GoFundMe account to his Facebook post so that people from different walks of life would be able to reach out to the Black family and help them in a concrete manner.
FUNDS KEEP COMING IN
The post slowly gained popularity over the course of several days, and the balance in the GoFundMe account that Matt attached to the post was steadily climbing. Matt, Chauncy, and Barbara were starting to get excited.
Matt’s plan had worked. He could now make a more lasting impact on the Black family, which had been his goal all along. But the charitable act he had engaged in for a young stranger at the grocery store was now part of a bigger story with a large number of people involved.
FUNDS FOR A LAWNMOWER
Chauncy was an outstanding young man who wanted to work for his box of doughnuts, so to speak, and Matt admired the young man from the moment they met. Matt knew exactly what to do with the money.
Matt thought about the long-term goal for the Black family. He wanted to leave Chauncy with not just the money from GoFundMe, but with tools to continue to earn money for his family. He thought of buying a lawnmower with the money that they earned so that Chauncy could cut grass for extra cash.
BLESSINGS FROM STRANGERS
With the modest goal of a lawnmower in sight, Matt was surprised as his post kept gaining traction. Total strangers continued to pour funds into the account. Matt had done such a good job describing the family’s situation that people just kept pouring forth their support.
At that point, the post had gained over 14,000 shares and has been commented on 3,500 times. The post was so popular that they started receiving all kinds of donations including food, clothing, and dental care. Chauncy even got more than one job offer.
REACHING FOR THE STARS
The Black family was truly grateful for Matt’s gesture of generosity as they started to live a more comfortable life with the donations that kept coming their way as funds were accumulated through social media.
The post was so effective that Matt started to dream about bigger things for Chauncy and his mom. He realized that they should not just stop with getting Chauncy a lawnmower. At the rate they were going, they’d be able to send Chauncy to college.
OVERFLOWING LOVE
Likes, shares, and comments are good for attention, but what the Black family needed were actual funds to change their life, and that is how GoFundMe has helped them. If it were not for Matt’s efforts, the Black family could have remained stuck in their unfortunate situation
So exactly how much were they able to raise from the GoFundMe campaign? Matt’s efforts garnered a whopping $340,000 for the mother and son, a sum large enough to change their lives long term.
A MOTHER’S HEART
Barbara was beside herself when she heard the news. She could finally see a brighter future for her and her child. Never in her wildest dreams had she imagined that this sort of thing would happen to her and Chauncy. Her heart was full of gratitude.
Barbara recalled the times that she and Chauncy had to go without a meal. "I did the best I could,” she said. “For the past few years, Chauncy has been taking care of me. He's a good boy. I couldn’t ask for better.”
CHAUNCY’S CHANCE
Matt’s post had gained so much popularity by that time that it was undeniably going viral. It had so many likes and shares that Matt had another brilliant idea of calling the whole movement “Chauncy’s Chance”. It has since gained even greater popularity.
With all the noise the post had created on social channels, the mainstream media started to take notice of Chauncy’s Chance. Not long after major news networks started talking about his story, Chauncy quickly became a celebrity of sorts.
CHAUNCY THE CELEBRITY
Chauncy was overwhelmed by the popularity of his social campaign. His status went from a poor boy asking for a chance to work for his food to a local celebrity in his hometown. The child did not know what to do with his newfound popularity.
Chauncy told People magazine, “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.”
THE NOT SO EASY PART OF THIS
Chauncy had become a local celebrity in his hometown, but that status came with risks. He didn’t live in a safe part of town, and seeing as it was only him and his mom, that could attract trouble.
Chauncy and his mother were extra careful in handling their newfound popularity and financial situation. They could not risk attracting trouble for themselves. They still lived in a poor area of Memphis at that point, and the young man had to keep a low profile as best he could.
PUBLIC RELATIONS
The newfound fame that came with the viral post was not all good. Although there were well-intentioned people willing to help, there were also those interested in exploiting the Black family for their new money. And not all of those people were strangers.
It was hard on the young man, particularly considering that some of those people were relatives. According to Chauncy, "My relatives were like when you get some money can you help me, asking for help in business and all that kind of stuff."
MANAGING THE FUNDS
From the very beginning, Matt wanted to make sure he would leave the Black family with more than a temporary solution. He wanted to show Chauncy how to provide for his future.
Matt wanted to protect the Black family from potential trouble as they managed their new financial situation. He wanted to secure Chauncy’s future.
HANDLING THE LEGAL PART
Matt took it upon himself to arrange the legal and taxation matters associated with the funds raised by Chauncy’s Chance. He managed the money for the boy and his mother to ensure that they would be protected down the line.
Matt said he hired a lawyer for the Black family to handle the legal aspects of the donations, "so that they take the least amount of hit on taxes. So it's set-up in a trust and not at risk of anybody trying to come and claim it."
MATT THE GOOD SAMARITAN
There was nothing special about Matt White at first glance. But once you got to know him, you discovered true kindness. That was simply Matt’s nature.
Most of us would likely have helped Chauncy that day in the grocery store, and maybe given him a bit of extra change as well, but not Matt. He went above and beyond what was expected of him. You might ask what drove Matt to go that extra mile, and it turns it was a matter of faith. Matt is a practicing Christian.
A HIGHER POWER
Like a good Christian Matt put his beliefs into practice. Charity is an important value in Christianity, and he wanted to live by it. He was eager to help Chauncy that day, and he had a burning desire to do all he could for the Black family.
Matt believes that there is a higher power that moved him to help the Black family that day. He credits all of his work to God. He felt like he was merely a tool that God used to help Chauncy and his mother. "In every sense of the word, God has provided,” concluded Matt.
PAYING IT FORWARD
With a simple Facebook post, Chauncy and his mother’s lives were changed forever. There must have been an angel guiding Chauncy that day in the grocery store that led him to Matt, because their meeting was extraordinarily beautiful, and it was destined.
With the seemingly chance meeting of two strangers, Chauncy got the break he never knew he needed. People were showering Matt with praises, but Matt said that instead of praising him, people should "look for Chauncys out there." He added that there are so many ways each of us could make a difference.
MATT’S HUMILITY
Like any good Christian, Matt was taught to be humble, and he never changed despite the popularity and praise showered upon him. He did not want to take the spotlight from the Black family.
Matt wanted everyone to know, “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,” White said.
A BRIGHT FUTURE FOR THE MOTHER AND SON
Chauncy had not expected the community to pull together for him and his mother. He was only asking for a box of doughnuts in exchange for carrying groceries for a stranger. Even after Matt’s post gained popularity, he was only asking for a lawn mower, but now he has a chance to go to college.
Chauncy and his mother were so grateful for the opportunity that was given to them. "He's the nicest person I’ve ever met," Chauncy said. “Nobody ever cared more than he did… He’s family, that’s what he is,” Barbara added. “He’s in our lives forever now. He’s family.”
MATT THE GOOD GUY
Matt has an unassuming nature, and you wouldn’t be able to tell much about him at first glance. But one glance at his Facebook page, and you can see right away that Matt’s attention centers on more important things than cat memes.
Matt uses his social media as a platform to reach out to others. His page is littered with posts about charitable giving and inspiring success stories. Matt is simply the type of guy that would like to make a difference in the world. We need more Matts in the world.
MATT MADE GOOD DEED A HABIT
Practice does make perfect. Turns out, Chauncy Black is not the only person Matt has helped out using social media. In a world full of haters and bashers, Matt found a way to use social media in a positive way.
The other charity work Matt has engaged in hasn’t garnered the same attention as Chauncy’s post, but what matters is that he’s out there trying to make a difference. And we’re sure everyone Matt has helped is grateful they had the chance to meet him.
MATT WHITE’S CALLING
Matt has a strong passion for helping others, as it gives him a sense of fulfillment. He wanted to help out kids in need and there is plenty of evidence for his charitable work on social media.
He has a knack for posting heartfelt stories to reach out to strangers and translate that into donations, and he’s been creating GoFundMe accounts for those in need for some time. It is not only Chauncy Black that he has helped through social media.
JB KIBBLER
Years ago, Matt met a man named JB Kibbler, a blind bottle collector. It was one of those ‘chance’ encounters that appears to be a habit of Matt’s. JB was digging through the trash for cans to earn a few dollars to feed his family when he met Matt.
Because of Matt’s good nature, he could not help but get involved in the man’s predicament. He set up a GoFundMe for JB Kibbler that eventually translated to $36,000. This money was put to good use by the Kibbler family.
THE STATISTICS
According to recent studies, Memphis is one of the poorest large cities in America, and most of the poverty centers in the African American community. This is the harsh reality that the Black and Kibbler family lived in.
Most of these families live in poverty-stricken areas, and some of them resorted to begging for money just to get by. Other’s like Chauncy and JB would rather work for their food. Their jobs may not be pretty, but they put food on the table without begging.
A STUDY MADE BY DR. ELENA DELAVEGA
Dr. Elena Delavega, a professor at the University of Memphis, decided to study the causes of the alarming rate of poverty in their area. She conducted a survey to identify the leading causes of poverty in Memphis.
According to her report, the poverty rates were largely attributable to a low minimum wage and poor transportation options, among other factors. These issues were not exclusive to African American families, but it seems that they were the ones most impacted by them.
THE CHANGE WE NEED
Children are the hope of the future and in Memphis most of them live in poverty. According to Delavega, "What that means and I want you to think about it, is that when you see a child walking down the street when you see a child, there’s a 50-50 chance […] that that child is living in poverty."
The statistics are troubling, and that is why we need to make a change. If the world had more people like Matt, there would not be a single child that would go hungry. Matt is doing his part as a good Christian and hopes he can inspire others to do the same.
USE YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA AS A PLATFORM
Matt has tried to do his part, helping one person at a time, but he could not have done it alone. He needed the help of strangers who saw his pleas on social media on behalf of the Black family and others. He used GoFundMe, which is a for-profit online fundraising tool.
GoFundMe does take a cut of the money. They take 5% of all donations, plus a 2.9% processing fee. After all, it is still a business that needs to be maintained. Matt did the best he could with the tools that were available to him, and that included GoFundMe.