Reddit Post Sparks 'Crazy And Unexpected' Wave Of Donations To New Jersey Foster Care Charity
HAMILTON, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- An outpouring of giving to a New Jersey charity was sparked by a post on Reddit.
The unexpected donations are going to a nonprofit that helps those in the foster care system, CBS2's Meg Baker reported Thursday.
"It was crazy. There were just hundreds of emails saying 'donation received,' 'wish granted,' and I couldn't figure out what happened," said Danielle Gletow, founder and director of One Simple Wish, a charity that grants wishes for those in foster care and those who've aged out of the system.
Gletow had no idea why her organization was suddenly inundated with donations. It just seemed unusual for the summer giving season.
"It's so exciting and crazy and unexpected," she said.
Then, she discovered a Reddit post that asked, "What is something you've done purely out of the goodness of your heart, but have never told anyone?"
"And this guy wrote that he went to One Simple Wish and granted a bike for a boy in foster care," Gletow explained. "Then it was just thousands of people commenting and they totally crashed our site."
More than 800 wishes were granted in just three days. Gletow's team has been working around the clock.
"I'm filling a wish right now for some pots and pans for a young man who just moved into his first apartment," said Nikki Quinn, who works at One Simple Wish.
Kristen Thomas found help from the charity.
"I was granted a wish for cooking classes in preparation to becoming a foster parent, and it was so much fun. But it was also super healing, being in foster care and aging out myself. Now me and my kiddos cook all the time," Thomas told Baker.
"I think people love the fact that you get to read about the person that you're helping," said Gletow. "You get to see them for who they are and give them something they've actually asked for. There's so much dignity in that."
Other requests have been for different experiences or just basic necessities.
A simple click to donate can mean the world to another person.
CBS2's Meg Baker contributed to this report.
