Re: Anonymous donors pay off strangers layaway

Posted by MsSissy

Posted by thisisme

Well, I'd love to know how it happens because I just found out someone did this for me! And I feel bad because, as nice as it was and as much as I'm not rolling in money, I can afford what I put on layaway. So I'm going to find out how to pay it forward and do it for someone else

That is amazing!
Would love to know how you paid if forward if you're willing to share

Re: Anonymous donors pay off strangers layaway

Posted by thisisme

Well, I'd love to know how it happens because I just found out someone did this for me! And I feel bad because, as nice as it was and as much as I'm not rolling in money, I can afford what I put on layaway. So I'm going to find out how to pay it forward and do it for someone else

Re: Anonymous donors pay off strangers layaway

Posted by kimbalina

Posted by thisisme

Well, I'd love to know how it happens because I just found out someone did this for me! And I feel bad because, as nice as it was and as much as I'm not rolling in money, I can afford what I put on layaway. So I'm going to find out how to pay it forward and do it for someone else

THAT'S FANTASTIC!!! So happy for you!! Go to the store and ask for the store manager. Tell them that you want to to the same and have them help find a layaway in your price point.

Re: Anonymous donors pay off strangers layaway

So...a small update. Someone apparently paid off any unpaid balances left in the store after Friday My balance was only left unpaid because it was such a long wait to pick it up and I couldn't wait, so I had planned to cancel the order and lose the deposit. We have the order now and I am going to spend the same amount of money we spent on our order but on coats for local families and donate them at the local soup kitchen. I just feel like that's a better way of spending the money, rather than donating the toys (like my husband wants to).

Re: Anonymous donors pay off strangers layaway

Love hearing these things!!


From Newsday:
Two anonymous donors armed with $500 cash swept into the Farmingdale Walmart Sunday morning and paid off the layaway accounts of random shoppers who had been saving up for months to buy toys and other Christmas presents.

Michael Balestrieri, a customer service manager at the store, said a couple in their 50s who gave their names only as David and Diane went to the layaway counter and said they wanted to pay off strangers' layaway accounts.

"Basically, he explained to me, 'My wife and I had a really good year. God has blessed [us] and we want to give to other people,' " Balestrieri said.

After checking with the store's manager, Balestrieri went through the list of about 60 outstanding layaway orders -- searching for those with lots of toys, at the couple's request. "Customers that . . . were trying to give their children a better Christmas," Balestrieri said.

The couple pulled out $500 in cash and paid off about half a dozen of the outstanding layaway accounts, then signed each receipt "Merry Christmas from Diane and David."

Later, Walmart employee Vanessa Cardoza called each of the customers to tell them that their layaway accounts had been paid off.

"I had one customer repeat her name over and over to me, saying, 'Are you sure?' " Cardoza said. "She was shocked."

Word spread around the store about the couple's gift.

"They didn't even know the people. It was truly unconditional," Balestrieri said. "It was basically unconditional love for your fellow man."

Sunday's good deed wasn't the only one at the Farmingdale store. On Saturday, another anonymous donor paid off a woman's layaway account, amounting to roughly $158. The customer, when told of the gift, began crying on the phone, Balestrieri said.

"They're doing a fantastic thing," he said. "If they have the ability to help other people, they are actually doing that. They are using that ability to the best possible way they can right now."

Re: Anonymous donors pay off strangers layaway

Finally a nice story, it brought tears to my eyes. What a wonderful woman!

Re: Anonymous donors pay off strangers layaway

Re: Anonymous donors pay off strangers layaway

Posted by thisisme

So...a small update. Someone apparently paid off any unpaid balances left in the store after Friday My balance was only left unpaid because it was such a long wait to pick it up and I couldn't wait, so I had planned to cancel the order and lose the deposit. We have the order now and I am going to spend the same amount of money we spent on our order but on coats for local families and donate them at the local soup kitchen. I just feel like that's a better way of spending the money, rather than donating the toys (like my husband wants to).