Nathan Simmons, a 9-year old boy from the Quad Cities area, recently did something we should all admire. His father Ethan was worried that the boy was watching too much YouTube. However, little did he know that he wasn’t wasting time on funny videos – he actually watched YouTubers donating big money to the less fortunate.
Just a couple of hours after watching the video, Nathan said that he wanted to do the same. His idea was to use the money from his savings account to buy supplies for a homeless shelter. While admiring his idea, his father was hesitant. However, he also thought about the lesson he’d teach his son if he said no. Touched by his move, he eventually agreed and matched his son’s donation dollar-for-dollar.
After getting $150 from each savings account, the father and son duo went to work.
Finding the Right Shelters
After reaching out to a few shelters in their hometown, Nathan took his son to stores to get supplies. Officials from Christian Care in Rock Island needed barbecue sauce, hot sauces, shoes, and gloves, so Nathan and Ethan went to Walmart. The boy went a bit further, chipping in extra dollars to make sure the less fortunate spend New Years day in the right way with cookies and cola.
After they filled a few carts, the boy and his dad visited Christian Care. Cindi Gramenz from the Development Center said that the boy and his dad are doing something amazing. She noted that it’s not common for a 9-year old to show the level of compassion Nathan does, but she was glad for it. His father is very proud of the son, and even though he was hesitant at first, he couldn’t say no to such a proposition.
If more people were like Nathan and his father, the world will surely be a much better place to live in.
