WEST JORDAN, Utah (KSTU)— A person who wanted to make a difference found a way to provide relief to families who owed student lunch debt.

Tua Kealoha raised $12,050 to help pay off school lunch debt at Heartland Elementary in Utah.

“I believe that food is one of those things that kids shouldn’t have to worry about,” said Kealoha. “I see these guys as my kids, and these are anybody’s kids.”

For two years of the COVID-19 pandemic, the students receive free lunches. But this year, their families had to pay for the meals. it’s on their families to pay for it.

“There’s always this middle ground of families that don’t qualify for free or reduced lunches, or their family situation has recently changed – a donation like that of Kealoha’s helps bless a whole bunch of families," said principal Buddy Alger.

When Kealoha learned about lunch debt, he made it his mission to help.

“I’m not from this district, but I believe when it comes to helping kids, there is no such thing as districts," he said.

“I also want to help spread awareness to this issue that there is such a thing as school lunch debt, so find it in yourself to pay off the lunch debt for a student or the whole school,” added Kealoha.

Kealoha hopes his good deed will inspire others to help out in their communities.

“It takes a community to help our community. Hnstead of looking for outside help, we have to just come together and unite and we can help each other out,” he said.

This story was originally reported by Mythili Gubbi on fox13now.com.

Tattoo artist donating day's worth of proceeds to help customer

The money will go to a fundraiser for an organization that supports people with vision impairments.

Updated: 3:46 AM EDT Jun 9, 2023

A tattoo artist in Pennsylvania is hoping to make a big difference.He's offering to donate proceeds from a day's worth of tattoos to help one of his customers.When Jesse Miller wanted another tattoo, he headed to Christian Anavitate at Beautiful Sin in Lancaster County."I felt him just being, like, 'Do whatever you want, man. I'm here for you to hook me up, you know?'" Anavitate said."I said, 'Hey, I guess since we're going to be here for a while, I might as well explain my story and why I'm blind, if you want to listen,'" Miller said.Miller was born with a visual impairment but went completely blind five years ago.He told Anavitate about the help he'd gotten from VisionCorps."Vision Corps just helps out so many people. Even when I walked through the door, I didn't have nothing. I didn't have insurance. I didn't have no income whatsoever, and VisionCorps was there," Miller said."I was pretty blown away by that. I was, like, 'Man, this guy is unstoppable,'" Anavitate said.Miller also told him about Eye Drop, a fundraiser for VisionCorps in which volunteers rappel off a building. Miller has done it every year."They say I'm a legend," he said.Anavitate offered to donate a day's worth of work."Working with Jesse, it's, like, there's definitely more people out there that do need the help," he said."It's so freaking amazing," Miller said. Anyone can stop in and get a small tattoo. It's first come, first served.

'I was stupefied': Fundraiser for widower who lost home to fire generates thousands, exceeds goal

Updated: 5:23 AM EST Dec 29, 2021

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FROM WEST ROXBURY WITH THE STORY YOU’LL SEE ONLY ON 5. >> I HAVEN’T SLEPT FOR ABOU18T HOURS. >> IT’S BEEN AN EMOTIONAL LLROER COASTER LATELY FOR BILL MOORE OF WEST ROXBURY. TWO MONTHS AGO, THE WIDOWER LOST EVERYTHING IN A FIRE, INCLUDING HIS HOME OF ALMOST 40 YEARS. HIS NEIGHBORS ATTHE BOSTON TRAILER PARK COMG INTOGETHER TO START A GO FUND ME ACCOUNT WITH THE HOPE THAT BILL WILL BE ABLE TO FIND ANOTHER HOME FOR HIS NOW EMPTLOY T. WHEN WE FIRST MET BILL ON MONDAY HE SHARED WITH US HIS EMOTIONAL CONNECTION TO THIS COMMUNI.TY >> MOST OF MY FAMILY IS GONE. IF I LIVED SOMEPLACE ELSE RIGHT NOW I WOULDN’T HAVE ANY FRIENDS OR ANYTHING. >> AT THAT TIME WE TALKED, THE FUNDRAISING EFFORTS STOOD JUST SHY OF $700. BUT THE THANKS TO OUR INCREDIBLY GENEROUS CHANNEL 5 VIEWERS, IN ONLY 24 HOURS, THE ACCOUNT HAD BALLOONED TO MORE THAN $,0.34 >> I WAS SPETUFIED IF THAT’S SUCH A WORD. BILL MAY HAVE BEEN LOST FOR >> WORDS, -- >> BILL MAY HAVE BEEN LOST FOR WOS,RD BUT THOSE MOVED TO MAKE A DONATION WERE NOT. JULIA TRIPP, POSTING YOUR STORY TOUCHED MY HEART. JOANNA GUERRA, EXPREEDSS EVERYONE DESERVES A PLACE TO CALL HOME. GOD BLESS. CATHERINE MILLER, ECHOING THAT SENTIMENT SAYING BILL DESERVES TO RETURN HOME. D ANLOUISE DAIGNEAU, CAPTURING THE SPIRIT OF THE HOLIDAY’S BY WRITING, I DONATED BECAUSE HELPING SOMEONE IS THE BEST GIFT WE CAN GIVE. >> IT’S TRULY THE BEST GIFT. IT’S BETTER TO GIVE THAN RECEIVE. >> HOW DOES IT FEEL TO BE ON THE RECEIVING END? >> OH I’LL TELL YA, I’M SO HAY.PP IT’S JUST LIKE WINNING THE LOTTERY. I CAN’T IMAGINE WHAT PEOPLE FEEL LIKE WHEN THEY WIN MILLIONS OF DOLLARS, THIS IS A LOWER LEVEL BUT TO ME THIS IS A MILLION DOLLARS TO ME. >> BILL’S TEMPORARY HOUSING SET UP BY THE CITY IS SET TO EXPIRE ON FRIDAY, THE END OF THE YEAR. THE PEHO IS BECAUSE OF SOME UNDERLYING HEALTH ISSUES THAT WILL BE EXTENDED BUT FOR HOW LONG IS STILL UNKNOWN. AND YES, THE GO FUND ME PAGE LINKS ISTILL ON OUR WEBSITE. WCVB.COM. IN WEST ROXBURY, I’M DOUG MEEHAN WCVB NEWCES NTER 5. JESSA:IC I LOVE SEEING THE COMMUNITY SHOW UP FOR BILL. YOU HEARD DOUG SAY JUST HOW MUCH THAT GOFUNDME JUMPED IN 24 URHOS. WELL TAKE A LOOK NOW, IT’S UP TO MORE THAN $40,000. AND THAT’S THANKS IN LARGE PART TO OUR GENEROUS VIEWERS. ERIKA: SEEING THE GOODNESS OF PEOPLE GOES SO FAR THESE DAYS AND OUR HEARTS GO OUT TO BILL. WE ARE SO CLOSE TO THE 50.

'I was stupefied': Fundraiser for widower who lost home to fire generates thousands, exceeds goal

Updated: 5:23 AM EST Dec 29, 2021

Bill Moore has been on an emotional roller coaster. Two months ago, the Boston widower lost his home and all of his belongings to a fire early on the morning of Halloween. His neighbors at the Boston Trailer Park came together to start a fundraiser to help him rebuild and hundreds of people have donated. The fundraiser was created on Dec. 18 but was stuck at a few hundred dollars for several days. There was a huge outpouring of support after sister station WCVB first reported Moore's story.As of Tuesday evening, the total had surpassed its goal of $50,000."I was stupefied, if that’s such a word," Moore said on Tuesday. Moore says he's not looking for a fancy home, just something that will help him get by and return to the neighborhood he loves. He wants to express gratitude for all the generous donations that are making that possible. “It’s just like winning the lottery," he said. "I can’t imagine what people feel like when they win millions of dollars, this is a lower level but to me, this is a million dollars to me."Moore is living in temporary housing, arranged by the city, which is due to expire at the end of the year. The hope is that the deadline will be extended because of his underlying health issues. The online fundraiser is still collecting money to help Moore realize his dream of rebuilding.

Bill Moore has been on an emotional roller coaster.

Two months ago, the Boston widower lost his home and all of his belongings to a fire early on the morning of Halloween. His neighbors at the Boston Trailer Park came together to start a fundraiser to help him rebuild and hundreds of people have donated.

The fundraiser was created on Dec. 18 but was stuck at a few hundred dollars for several days. There was a huge outpouring of support after sister station WCVB first reported Moore's story.

As of Tuesday evening, the total had surpassed its goal of $50,000.

"I was stupefied, if that’s such a word," Moore said on Tuesday.

Moore says he's not looking for a fancy home, just something that will help him get by and return to the neighborhood he loves. He wants to express gratitude for all the generous donations that are making that possible.

“It’s just like winning the lottery," he said. "I can’t imagine what people feel like when they win millions of dollars, this is a lower level but to me, this is a million dollars to me."

Moore is living in temporary housing, arranged by the city, which is due to expire at the end of the year. The hope is that the deadline will be extended because of his underlying health issues.

The online fundraiser is still collecting money to help Moore realize his dream of rebuilding.