Free meals and helping hands highlight good news coming out of Ferguson
Amongst tensions and civil unrest in Ferguson, Missouri, stories of kindness are emerging.
When Ferguson schools delayed their start — classes were set to begin on August 14 — a North Carolina teacher decided to take action. Knowing that many students come from households with food instability and depend on school-provided meals, Julianna Mendelsohn launched a fundraising campaign on Fundly to help feed Ferguson's children.
She's raised more than $129,000 so far.
"I started what I thought would be a small personal effort with friends," Mendelsohn said. "It's going beyond my wildest dreams."
Some Ferguson teachers have been offering classes anyway — at the public library.
Gloria Pasley & Betsy Anderson outside the public library, willing to take students in #Ferguson pic.twitter.com/doq3vozTqi
— Ryan J. Reilly (@ryanjreilly) August 19, 2014
On Twitter, Ferguson residents have been sharing stories hope and kindness. Volunteers have been handing out food, diapers and children's books.
Pampers, children's books, and food being given out to people who live on Canfield in #Ferguson. pic.twitter.com/8rX9XmDK6F — Diana Zoga KMOV (@DIANAZOGA) August 18, 2014
They've been cleaning up, too:
Wonderful group of people who came out early to help clean up after last night #Ferguson pic.twitter.com/pr2ELgaY6y
— Amanda Terkel (@aterkel) August 18, 2014
CNN reported that out-of-towners showed up with water for protesters. When people were hit with tear gas last Tuesday, they offered bottles of milk to help relieve burning eyes.
Jameila White walked a mile to #Ferguson to hand out free water, and milk to relieve burning from tear gas. pic.twitter.com/6Kwq0rPEGI — Eliott C. McLaughlin (@EliottCNN) August 20, 2014
Domino's Pizza handed out free pizza to protesters.
Some residents opened their homes to strangers:
A #Ferguson resident let us into her home, so we could be in a quiet safe place. Such kindness to open her home like this. — Steph Lecci (@stephlecci) August 18, 2014
#Ferguson some great people gave me shelter in their house, gave me water, love these guys pic.twitter.com/okhRvh1Hbj — David Carson (@PDPJ) August 14, 2014
Others offered rides, knowing it wasn't safe for people to be walking home alone.
“@Patricialicious: Picked up a guy he needs a ride to his car #Ferguson” // I am that guy. Thank you. — deray mckesson (@deray) August 18, 2014
The St. Louis Rams offered free tickets for last Saturday's preseason game to Ferguson's high school football players.
"In light of everything going on in that area, it just made sense to reach out to those high schools and their head football coaches," Kyle Eversgerd, the Rams' manager of fan development and alumni relations, told ESPN.
"I talked to them directly and just said, 'Hey look, we can't imagine what you are dealing with as a football team, it's game week right now and you're trying to get ready for all of that.' We just offered tickets to them for Saturday and that's pretty much the extent of it."