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Diner Owner Finds Out Homeless People Are Begging His Customers for Money - The Way He Handled It Goes Viral
Uplifting News

Diner Owner Finds Out Homeless People Are Begging His Customers for Money - The Way He Handled It Goes Viral

Restaurant owner Collin Doran is putting a lifelong lesson to work, everyday. In fact, he's putting the "break" in breakfast; or at least, he's helping his lower-income customers catch one (so to speak).Doran is the proud owner of Homemade Diner in Berkeley, California. When it comes to feeding his customers? He's serving eggs and bacon with an unexpected side of kindness. When he was growing up, the entrepreneur never forgot one simple lesson he learned from his grandfather — the importance of helping those in need.“When I was 12, we were settings things up for Thanksgiving dinner and he told me, ‘Remember — you should never look down on anyone.'"Well, twelve years and thousands of free breakfasts later, it's safe to say, Collin Doran has definitely made his grandfather proud. In every free breakfast, his legacy lives on.A “Problem” He Couldn’t IgnoreKarl Mondon/ Bay Area News GroupIt all started in 2011 when Collin Doran, 53, noticed the presence of homeless individuals outside his beloved diner, begging for spare change to buy food from people passing by.Rather than turning them away or asking that they "leave his customers alone," he decided to do something so much better.In a heartwarming act, he came up with a simple (but not easy) solution. He decided he would commit to giving a free two-egg breakfast with all the fixings to those in need — no questions asked.All were welcomed into the Homemade Diner with open arms. No one was asked to share their story or prove why they were truly in need. No vetting process was necessary. Doran chose to follow blind faith and lead with love.Over a decade later, his trust had paid off in spades.“Instead of ushering people away, I told them, ‘If you’re hungry, let us know and we’ll feed you,’” said Doran. “Right away, people started taking me up on it.”Twelve Years Later, the Pandemic Hit HardCharlotte DoranIt's safe to say, Homemade Diner's mission was alive and well but like so many other small businesses, the pandemic threatened to ruin all they had worked towards.Doran shared that over the course of two years during the pandemic, he drained $200,000 out of his savings account. All to make sure his devoted employees could stay employed during lockdown!It was clear when hard times hit, his generosity wasn't just an act for when times were good — for richer or poorer, it was truly who he was.When He Stepped Up His Community Stepped InWith his incredible initiative over the years, Doran didn't just give back to the community, he also helped it grow. After years of giving his support and hundreds and thousands of dollars, the community he help served for all those years — literally — had his back.“My customers raised more than $30,000 for the restaurant through a GoFundMe I started last fall when we were struggling financially,” Doran shared with the Washington Post.His Customers Chipped In — And It Changed EverythingCharlotte DoranFor years, Doran had been keeping his free meal service alive and well on his own, but when the pandemic hit, it changed everyone's hearts for the good.Customers old and new decided they wanted to do their part.Some customers donated upwards of $5 per meal to help fund “Everybody Eats” at Homemade Diner. One customer even made monthly donations of $100.Everyone has value. We are all worth more than the change in our pocket. “It became clear to me that the reason customers wanted to help was because they’d seen how we’d fed people in the community over the years,” Doran noted. “People didn’t want to lose that. It made sense to continue to provide them with a way to chip in.” Collin Doran, Owner of Homemade DinerEvery penny counts and long after the pandemic, Homemade Diner is accepting donations big and small (or none at all)!Since January, for every $5 donated by a customer, Doran has posted a “free meal” ticket on a bulletin board in his diner to be used by anyone who is hungry. The donations cover the costs of “eggs any way,” served with potatoes, toast, and coffee. “But on days when we run out of tickets, we keep serving free meals anyway,” Doran noted when it comes to bending the rules. “Nobody should go hungry. This is the right thing to do.”Taking It One Step Further — He Offered One Homeless Customer a JobKPixThough Collin Doran has certainly touched many lives, there's one customer in particular who is forever grateful for the small-time restauranteur's kindness.Daniel Amokye was a former unhoused person who benefitted from Homemade Diner's free breakfast program.Amokye heard about the amazing program from a friend and thought it was too good to be true. When he went to check it out for himself, he couldn't believe his eyes...it was exactly as his friend promised.The diner treated Amokye to his first hot meal in a long time and he returned several times that week to grab another hot meal — he was never turned away.In fact, the exact opposite thing happened next. Instead of telling Amokye he had "come too many times," they offered him to come back as many times as he wanted — only this time he'd be behind the counter instead of in front of it.Doran didn't hesitate to offer Amokye a position to work as a dishwasher at the diner — and Amokye couldn't be more grateful for the opportunity.“Now I’m here pretty much every day — grateful for the chance to work,” Amokye shared. “Collin and his cafe have touched many lives, but especially mine.”Kindness Really Is Contagious!Even if you aren't sure if the love you're pouring out into the world is really making a difference — it always is.Doran's story shows us what one simple act can do. One free meal turned into another and another, until thousands of people were not just fed but truly received. There is no greater gift we can give another human than to recognize their innate goodness and welcome them. Relationships come in all different forms where some last a life time, but even the most fleeting moments of kindness can change the course of someone's day.The choices we make today define our tomorrow. We are our habits. When we choose kindness, it becomes part of who we are.More from Goalcast:

No One Visits Lonely Elderly Couple for Months - Hearing Their Cries, a Neighbor Calls the Police
Uplifting News

No One Visits Lonely Elderly Couple for Months - Hearing Their Cries, a Neighbor Calls the Police

Seniors across the world are suffering from a second pandemic — loneliness. But a couple of police officers in Italy had the perfect remedy for one couple in their 80s and 90s.Desperate for Human ConnectionNo one had visited 84-year-old Jole and 94-year-old Michele in months. Meanwhile, all they saw on TV was stories of war and abuse — and this was well before the COVID-19 pandemic and increase in extreme weather events seen in the last couple of years. So, they cried out of desperation. So much so, that a neighbor called the police."It is not always an easy life," police wrote about the incident in a 2016 Facebook post reported by the Independent. "Especially when the city is empty and the neighbours are away on vacation. Sometimes the loneliness melts into tears. Sometimes it's like a summer storm. It comes suddenly and overtakes one.""Jole and Michele, they love each other. But when the loneliness is a burden on the heart, it may happen that they lose hope," the statement continued. "Can happen, like this time, that they scream so loud in their despair that, in the end, somebody calls the state police."A Dollop of HumanityFour officers identified as Andrea, Alessandro, Ernesto, and Mirko responded to the call, but instead of dismissing their loneliness, they did something remarkable — they made them dinner. Pasta with parmesan to be exact."There isn't a crime. Jole and Michele are not victims of scams, as often happens to the elderly and no burglar came in the house. There's no one to save," continued the post. "This time, for the boys flying over, there is a more difficult task to perform. There are two lonely souls to reassure."According to the statement, the police asked for permission to access the pantry and improvise dinner."A bowl of pasta with butter and cheese. Nothing special. But with a precious ingredient: inside it is humanity."Questura di RomaThere’s a Cure for LonelinessWhile this story occurred a few years ago, it's no less relevant today. So many people, especially seniors, suffer from loneliness. The issue even prompted a grocery store chain in the Netherlands to make "chat registers" so employees can visit lonely customers. But this pandemic has a cure. We must be kind and check in on our elders, whether they're family or otherwise. How? Stop for a chat if you see them on the street. Volunteer. Give seniors you know a call more frequently. Or, maybe, make someone a pasta dinner.More from Goalcast:Uber Driver Takes a Look at Lonely Elderly Passenger’s Living Conditions – Decides to Give Him More Than Just a LiftWoman’s Heart Is Shattered When Her Husband Abandons Her for His Lover – Even Then, She Still Takes Care of His Elderly DadTeens Approach Elderly Man When They Think No One Is Watching – Little Did They Know What Would Happen Next

Parents Hear Amazon Delivery Driver at the Door Are Shocked When the Doorbell Camera Catches Her Doing This
Uplifting News

Parents Hear Amazon Delivery Driver at the Door Are Shocked When the Doorbell Camera Catches Her Doing This

Many of us rely on delivery people to bring us needed supplies. We all learned how necessary these service people were during the pandemic when social distancing and stay-at-home orders were in effect across the world. Still, some of us continue to rely on these services for essentials or our health, which makes this story of an Amazon driver so heartwarming.Bringing More Than Just Another PackageIn May 2020, Raquel Pearson and her husband relied on delivery people maybe a little more than most.At the time, they had an eight-month-old son named Lucas, who was born with an aberrant right subclavian artery, and they needed certain supplies to keep him alive.“It is rare for this condition to have adverse symptoms, but our son has had a very tough time eating since birth,” the mother told Newsweek. “Since he aspirates while drinking, we have to thicken his bottles, and we get very regular deliveries of thickeners to our home. His aspiration can cause him to choke, cough, and have abnormal breathing.”Because of this, the Nampa, Idaho, family is grateful to those who deliver the supplies they need for their son. They wanted to let them know that, so they posted a note at their door. “Thank you for delivering our food and packages to us,” it read.“We have an infant with medical needs, and online deliveries are essential to his health. You are keeping our son alive and well. We are grateful to all who are on the front lines delivering to our family.”A Heartfelt Response, Captured on CameraOne day, while the family was waiting on said supplies, they grew a little anxious. So they pulled up their Ring camera to check a delivery. That’s when they saw something that shocked them. The driver read the note, then stopped and prayed for Lucas.“Lucas' condition has been very difficult for us, so we were very thankful and taken aback by her kindness, especially during this pandemic,” Pearson told the publication. She posted the video on Facebook in a since-deleted post, sharing a slice of goodness with the world.Quickly, others recognized the driver as a woman named Monica Salinas, whom they claimed had a heart of gold. The video went viral, and word got around to Salinas. She, too, was touched.“I just stopped to do what my heart told me to do, to say a prayer for the baby and for the parents because that's got to be very painful for all of them to see their baby hurt and struggle,” Salinas told KTVB. “That makes me happy. Happy that God can touch people like that, you know?”“It means a lot to our family, just genuine kindness. It's just a breath of fresh air to see stuff like that,” Lucas’ dad, Derek Pearson, added to the publication. “It's really powerful, and we appreciate any positive energy that is sent to our family right now.”We’re Still All in This TogetherDuring the pandemic, many of us began using the phrase, “We’re all in this together.” But look closely, and that term has applied to our neighborhoods and communities for a long time. We don’t always realize how much we rely on the kindness of strangers, but it’s stories like this that remind us how much we all do.It only took a moment of Salinas’ day to stop and send well wishes to that little boy. And it only took a couple of minutes for the Pearson family to leave that note of gratitude on their doorstep. Yet both actions sparked kindness and warm feelings around the world.Going out of your way to thank someone doesn’t just make the recipient feel good; it makes you feel good as well. You can easily thank someone else by posting a note on your door, writing a thank you email or text, or even going the old-fashioned route with a handwritten note in the mail.Everyone wants to feel appreciated, and showing our appreciation to others can lead to some pretty wonderful things. We just need to stop and take a moment every now and again to practice our gratitude.More from Goalcast:Heartwarming Moment Shows Employee’s Infectious Joy After Receiving His First Paycheck Ever