Two Men’s Lives Change When One Offers to Carry the Groceries

Matt White was a man like all others. He had to go grocery shopping periodically to get staples and tasty treats. One night, though, he was getting his weekly allotment and was met by a boy who ended up changing his life in all ways.

That seems hard to believe. An average night where you buy groceries could end up changing your life completely. However, that’s exactly what happened to Matt and the boy. One simple offer from the teen while Matt walked out of the grocery store was all it took. What happened? This is Matt’s amazing story!

Meet Matt

Matt was just 30 years old when he saw a young man outside of a local grocery store in Memphis. This college graduate had earned a degree for Music Business, and he chose to shop at Kroger whenever he could.

The Encounter

As Matt completed his shopping experience and paid for his things, he left the Kroger store. He noticed a teenaged boy walking toward him. This boy was all alone and almost looked ashamed and sad. Matt believed the boy needed some directions.

The Boy

All of Matt’s theories on what the boy needed or wanted were tossed out the window as the boy started to speak to him. This was when the magical beauty started, and it was the action needed to change both men’s lives for the better.

Meet Chauncy

Chauncy Jones Black was the boy who approached Matt. When this encounter took place, he was only 16 years old and had taken a bus to reach that local Kroger store. People in his neighborhood referred to it as the “rich man’s store.”

Why He Was There

Chauncy arrived at Kroger and hoped to find someone who might let him work for some food. He didn’t want to just ask for their spare change. That’s why he asked for sympathy from Matt because he also had just an hour to do this to ensure that he caught the last bus to his house.

Any Job

It was clear that Chauncy looked underweight. In fact, he appeared broken, ashamed, and hungry. Chauncy told Matt that he could do anything to get something to eat, and offered to carry the groceries Matt bought to his vehicle for some doughnuts.

Matt’s Response

Matt claimed later that his heart was begging him to help Chauncy, but he stayed cool and said that he could buy the boy some doughnuts. This boy was very thin and not in a good way. Therefore, Matt felt sorry for him.

The Beginning of a Life-changing Event

Overall, Matt felt sorry for Chauncy and wondered what this boy had gone through to get to this point. He found out that the teenager lived with his mom, but they had little money. Chauncy only had a bus pass and the clothes on his back!

In the Store

As the men walked into the store and down the aisles, Matt asked Chauncy questions about his life to learn more about him. After getting the doughnuts, Chauncy was shocked at the huge surprise that was about to befall him!

Above and Beyond

Matt put a package of doughnuts in the cart for Chauncy, but he knew that wasn’t enough. Chauncy had asked for help, and sugary treats weren’t the right thing for someone as thin as this teenager. Plus, the boy was willing to work for his food instead of begging!

The Shopping Spree

After putting the doughnuts in the cart, the strangers walked around the grocery store. Matt led the boy down many aisles, loading a shopping cart with necessary household staples. It included toothpaste, toothbrushes, cereal, pasta, milk, other essentials, and a few snacks.

Unbelievable

Chauncy was completely shocked when he realized what Matt was doing for him. He couldn’t express his gratitude and thanks for it all. Matt helped the boy when he needed it most, and he acted like it wasn’t a big deal!

More on Chauncy

As the strangers continued the shopping spree, Matt asked about Chauncy’s personal life. He wondered where the boy’s mom was and how he did in school. After spending that little time with Chauncy, Matt realized that this boy was truly special.

What He Planned

Chauncy told Matt that he received straight A’s in school and worked hard because his mom ingrained in him that education was that important. He also said that he was looking for a job to help her pay rent.

Chauncy’s Identity

Throughout the encounter, Chauncy kept calling himself poor. Matt realized quickly that Chauncy had little money. However, he felt that “being poor” was part of the boy’s identity. Despite all that, he wanted to change those circumstances and was trying the only way he knew how.

His Goals

Chauncy told Matt that he hoped to become a rich entrepreneur. Once he made his fortune, he wanted to give some of it back to his neighborhood. Overall, he wanted to do what Matt was now doing, getting groceries and toiletries for needy people.

Time for Goodbye

Chauncy profusely thanked Matt after getting the groceries and exiting the Kroger store. However, Chauncy couldn’t actually say how grateful he was for it all. He started walking toward the bus stop, believing that to be the end of the interaction between the two.

Catching the Bus

Chauncy had to get home to his mother soon so that she didn’t worry. Matt realized that he couldn’t let the teenager ride on the bus with all of those groceries. He couldn’t carry them all! Therefore, he offered to drive Chauncy home.

Chauncy’s Living Conditions

The decision to offer Chauncy a ride home left Matt humbled. Once they got to Chauncy’s house, he realized fast that the teenager didn’t exaggerate the truth when he said they had no food at home. What did Matt find, though?

Chauncy’s House

Once they got to Chauncy’s house, Matt saw that the boy and his mom had only two lamps for furniture and absolutely no food in the fridge. Additionally, something else in the home disturbed Matt thoroughly.

Meeting Mama

While in the Chauncy home, Matt met Barbara Black, the boy’s mom. His first impression of her was that she was kind and gracious. Overall, he knew that this woman was truly thankful for what Matt did.

About Barbara Black

After Matt got to know Barbara more, he realized that she had a medical condition, which caused her to shake constantly. It was so bad now that she struggled to move around the house alone. That’s when Matt knew he could do more to help this family.

Matt’s Plan

Before Matt did any planning to help the family, he wanted to help them unpack the groceries. Matt noticed that Chauncy was extremely happy to be home and have all that food. This made Matt excited.

Matt’s Contribution

The boy actually looked more upbeat now than when Matt first encountered him. This family had a full refrigerator because of Matt’s kindness. After unpacking everything, Matt said goodbye to the Blacks, but that wasn’t the last encounter they had.

Not Enough

Matt knew that those groceries were not likely to be enough, and he felt compelled to make a real contribution. Once he left the house, he couldn’t get Chauncy and Barbara out of his mind. Overall, he was upset for the mother-son duo.

The Disturbing Truth

Barbara couldn’t work because of her medical condition, so the only money coming into the household was from her disability checks. Chauncy hadn’t received new clothes in years, and those groceries might last a week at most.

Matt’s True Wish

After realizing the conditions surrounding Chauncy and Barbara’s situation, Matt wanted to make a lasting and real difference in their lives. How could Matt achieve that goal? What could he do? Continue reading to learn more!

Needing Help

Matt realized that he lived a comfortable life. He had his own place and could buy groceries whenever he wanted. However, he didn’t have the money to make a truly lasting impact on Chauncy’s life. That’s when he knew he had to get help from others.

What Matt Did

Matt chose to share his encounter with the Blacks through social media. He jumped on his Facebook account to share the story of Barbara and Chauncy. In doing that, he hoped that others might be inspired like Chauncy inspired him.

The Beginning of His Plan

Matt’s post got tons of attention. From there, he hoped it might turn into some tangible donations for the Blacks. Along with the post on Facebook, Matt attached a GoFundMe page to it. How did everyone react?

GoFundMe

His GoFundMe page offered information about Barbara and Chauncy, as well as the teenager’s shoe and clothing size. Matt had also added a video interview about Chauncy’s life story. Quickly, people were inspired by the boy, just as Matt had been. That’s when those financial contributions he dreamed of came in.

The Money

Matt’s GoFundMe page quickly generated tons of traffic, and the donations were collected. Chauncy was getting excited and was truly grateful for what Matt did for his mom and himself. They started planning how to use the funds.

Matt’s Idea

Matt’s original plan was to get money for a lawnmower. That way, Chauncy could earn money in the summer by cutting people’s lawns. That might also give him a bit of money when he started school again in the fall.

Growing

The money poured in while Matt’s Facebook page worked overtime to get more traffic. This story went viral fast, and the GoFundMe page exceeded everyone’s expectations. Total strangers gave to Chauncy and his mom, and that included things like jobs, food, clothing, and dental care.

Don’t Stop Now

Matt realized quickly that they didn’t have to just buy a lawnmower. With the many donations coming in, they could start a college fund for Chauncy or get a new house for the small family.

The Outcome

While you know that the Facebook post went viral, you might wonder how much money they received. From the GoFundMe page, Chauncy and his mom got $340,000! That was a life-changing amount for this mother-son pair!

What Barbara Had to Say

Chauncy’s mom was ecstatic about all the money. She realized that their living conditions weren’t great, but she did her best with what she had. Chauncy had helped out the past few years, and Barbara was grateful for it all.

Creating a Movement

Without realizing it, Matt created a movement, which was called Chauncy’s Chance. Major news networks and outlets got wind of what Matt did, and people even recognized Chauncy while he was out. Both men were asked for various interviews.

What Chauncy Had to Say

Overall, Chauncy loved the attention he got. In interviews, he said that his life was completely changed, and now he couldn’t go anywhere without someone recognizing him. It was all awesome, and he was grateful for everything he got, thanking Matt for making it all happen.

Fame Isn’t Always Good

The fame the family got came with a few negatives. Chauncy and his mom realized that they must be careful. Now, their family and friends knew about the money, frequently asking for help, so they requested assistance to manage it. Still, that didn’t take away from the opportunity they were provided with!