Woman raises more than $60K for homeless man who helped her

[demmiblue]

Source: AP

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — A New Jersey woman who was helped by a homeless man after she ran out of gas on an interstate in Philadelphia has raised more than $60,000 for the good Samaritan.

Kate McClure, 27, started the Gofundme.com campaign earlier this month after she said she ran out of gas on Interstate 95 and a homeless man, Johnny Bobbitt Jr., walked a few blocks and bought her some with his last $20.

McClure said she didn’t have any money to repay him at the time but returned to the road several times to give him cash, clothes and food.

After a few visits, she started the fundraiser with the hopes of using the money toward housing and other expenses for the 34-year-old Bobbitt.

More: https://apnews.com/4b7d14f6ac704e8bb78f5de7857a9d82?utm_campaign=SocialFlow&utm_source=Twitter&utm_medium=AP_Oddities


A nice story for this day.

[dembotoz]

1. Thanks but he should not be homeless in the first place

[mythology]

2. Facepalm

[Flaleftist]

29. There are a couple ways to interpret that comment.

Can you elaborate?

[dembotoz]

33. jesus fucking christ on thanksgiving i am asked to elaborate on a statement we should have no

homeless???????????????????????????????

[mnhtnbb]

3. Funds raised now stand at over $150,000!!!

I just checked the gofundme link in the article.

https://www.gofundme.com/hvv4r-paying-it-forward

[sellitman]

4. That's amazing.

I guess they're are still a few humans left on this planet after all.

[Ellipsis]

11. Now $230,000... incredible!

[mnhtnbb]

27. She should be able to help several people.

[Ellipsis]

30. It's at 250,000 now and the bulk in very small donations.

I agree. He wants a gig working at the Amazon warehouse in NJ so he can get insurance. He seems to be conscientious with his friends. He's a former marine who seems to have gone down a path of self destruction after a broken relationship.

He doesn't strike me as materialistic. He could end up with a foundation named after him.

It's quite an invigorating story. I hope he's able to get out of the limelight and move on with a happier life.

I don't doubt after all the PR Amazon offers him a gig.

[mnhtnbb]

31. I read through the updates she posted.

There's a photo of him standing in front of a UNC Life Flight helicopter. Apparently he was a firefighter/paramedic.

It really does sound like the guy might be capable of starting a new life if he's dealt with his drug problem.
I hope he gets the job he wants--with health benefits--and that they include decent coverage for mental health care.

Hoping for a happy ending to this Thanksgiving story.

[SWBTATTReg]

5. stories like this definitely make me believe in America

We all need to do more for these vets after they have served, in tracking and ensuring that these guys and gals (or both) are re-integrated back into society, after their service, with the means to have a full life. After all, they risked theirs for all of us. Go Kate McClure!!!

[SWBTATTReg]

7. Opps, my bad, thanks for catching. Still 100% a wonderful story...

[Crabby Appleton]

9. In the Philly Inquirer story they reported he was a Marine

http://www.philly.com/philly/news/new_jersey/homeless-man-helps-woman-donors-give-13000-to-help-him-20171121.html

"They learned he is Johnny Bobbitt Jr., 34, from the Raleigh, N.C., area. He was an ammunition technician in the Marines."

[mountain grammy]

8. Thanks

Any ray of hope will do

[pintobean]

10. K&R

[Calculating]

12. Not to be insensitive, but...

Does the homeless man have alcohol or substance problems? If so, all this money might just lead him to the grave.

[Ellipsis]

13. He shares with his homeles friends... and it's over 232,000 now.

It's not hard to end up homeless in a big city with no resources.

Who knows if he drinks or does drugs.

I certainly would.

[Calculating]

14. If he has addiction issues it would be unwise to simply hand him a large sum

He'll most likely just go on a giant bender with it and end up dead, or squander it within months. It actually is kinda hard to end up truly homeless. There's always some kind of job you can do, even if it's something terrible like graveyard shift janitor type work. Most homeless people have severe mental health or addiction problems.

[oasis]

16. So he wouldn't spend money on drugs if he actually had to work for it?

Is that your message?

[Ellipsis]

17. $240,000 now. How is it up there on the high horse? I lurve uninformed people who sit in judgement

...got no time for trollish like comments.

Have a good Thanksgiving.

[LisaL]

18. it's a legit question. Giving this guy access to a large amount of money at once might not be the

greatest idea. However, it sounds like people who set up the page are aware of potential for trouble and plan to manage the money for him.

"The couple made it clear that they would manage all the GoFundMe donations, using them to rent an apartment for Johnny and pay for his food, clothing, cellphone, and transportation, and giving him a small amount of cash for walking-around money."

http://www.philly.com/philly/news/new_jersey/homeless-man-helps-woman-donors-give-13000-to-help-him-20171121.html

[Ellipsis]

19. Good to know... Thank you.

I had guessed that would be the case... but It's great to see it confirmed.

That someone would take an interest and responsibility to help does not surprise me either.. kinda confirming that good people are still out there.

The difference in his face between the first picture on the go fundme account and the one in the article... that alone says quite a bit.

[Calculating]

21. Good to hear

That more or less addresses my concerns.

[Ellipsis]

24. $246,000 - concern ...yes.

[Calculating]

25. Why do you keep quoting the current amount in every post?

[melman]

20. 'It actually is kinda hard to end up truly homeless'

You've got to be kidding.

[Ellipsis]

22. That's what raised my ire as well.

[Calculating]

23. With the exception of disability, addiction, or medical problems it is

There's always SOME kind of work people are hiring for. It might something God awful like working in a meat packing plant or cleaning toilets, but it will keep you off the streets. A person who has health of mind and body really shouldn't be homeless.

[RhodeIslandOne]

28. Cleaning toilets for minimum wage and no bennys will not keep you off the streets.

10.00 an hour for 40 hours after taxes is not enough for rent.

[moriah]

32. I sincerely hope life continues to treat you where you can believe this.

I have known people who have overcome homelessness, because they did have the skills you mentioned and worked their asses off, but had no control over what put them in that situation.

And when you have no home address to put on a resume or give for a background check, no home to store a fresh clean outfit for an interview, no home to sleep in the night before, no home to bathe and dress in before an interview and application drop offs -- when you're having to use workarounds for all of these things we take for granted when we have a roof over our heads during a job search, and hope your community actually has programs to make those workarounds actually work....

Finding a single job, let alone the 2-3 it might require to actually pay rent in your metropolitan area, is far more difficult.

I'm thankful you don't understand this from experience.

He posted earlier today about his plans, like every week and holiday, to go to his local shelter and volunteer. Because he knows they are important.... from that experience.

[Calculating]

34. I have full sympathy for those who end up homeless due to circumstances out of their control

Many are kids who ran away from abusive homes and went right to the streets, or people who have mental/physical disabilities beyond their control. Such people have my full sympathy. As for the money thing, if you literally cannot afford to live in a cheap apartment working full time then you either need to get roommates or move. What I'm making right now could never support me in a place like SF/NYC/ETC. As a result, I don't live in a place with a nightmarish cost of living. I am thankful to at least have enough money in my family to allow me these choices. I can see how somebody might end up in a truly hard situation without enough money to even move and startup somewhere with better opportunities. Having some kind of support net of family or friends is the key thing which some people unfortunately lack.

[moriah]

35. Like moving's really easy for people who can't afford a home, either.

Bus ticket, with what money, to where? Smaller the town, smaller the level of services to help the homeless.

Plus no known friendly faces, no known places to get a meal or shower?

[oasis]

15. A great "feel good" story for Thanksgiving Day.

[bagelsforbreakfast]

26. Thank you x 1000!

[oberliner]

36. Turned out to be a scam