A young boy from Minnesota has made waves and reminded people of the importance of having a giving spirit. Jonathan Werner raised thousands of dollars for the Boy Scouts. He then chose to use $11,300 of it to buy Christmas presents for children in need. Jonathan doesn’t know these kids but wants to spread happiness to others. He lives by unyielding generosity, a concept everyone should try to live by.
Entreprenurial Skills
“He gets job offers all the time,” Jonathan’s mother proudly says. “Which is funny, because he’s 12.” Jonathan was the number 1 seller in his state last year after raising $46,000. This year he topped that and raised $56,000 from popcorn sales, becoming one of the top 3 sellers in the nation.
Jonathan sets out bags of flavored popcorn and chocolate-covered pretzels. As Jonathan neatly sets up his stand, he keeps a positive and kind attitude stating, “I just think of it as, for every ‘no’ that I get, you’re one step closer to getting a ‘yes,’”. Whether they respond or even acknowledge Jonathan, he sends every passerby well wishes for the day, even if they’re out of earshot.
Instilling Values
We’ve almost all been to the store and seen those tables set out front with kids selling stuff. Usually, the Girl Scouts sell cookies, and the Boy Scouts primarily sell popcorn. Founded over 100 years ago, the Boy Scouts of America make it their mission to instill values into young people. The intent is that they will make ethical and moral choices throughout their lives. 12-year-old Jonathan Werner latched on to those values. Because of his kindness, several children will have a brighter holiday and surprise Christmas presents he bought.
Motivation to Buy Christmas Presents
Jonathan has an entrepreneurial spirit, but what makes him an even more incredible young man is his kind heart. Jonathan went to Kohl’s and filled up large carts with Christmas presents for children who are in domestic violence shelters. When asked about his motivation, he explained, “My dad was in foster care when he was a kid. It didn’t really sound like they had much of a Christmas.”
Christmas Presents Spread Holiday Cheer
His mom says, “There were a lot of days at the end where I was like, ‘Okay, can we go home? And he was like, ‘Nope. I have to stay; I have to stay,’” Jonathan was determined to make a difference and he absolutely has. Jonathan said that raising the money and shopping for kids’ Christmas presents, “kind of reminds me how many people I will make happy during the holidays and that just makes me happy,” Jonathan says.
The holidays are a time of love and happiness. In contrast, many people find the holidays to be a painful reminder of the hardships and losses endured throughout the year. For many, the Christmas presents from Jonathan may be all they get this year. The cost of everything has skyrocketed and that makes the holidays even more difficult.
This is particularly true for those currently residing in shelters. Furthermore, children in domestic violence shelters face even more hardships including separation from a parent or fear of safety. Jonathan has chosen a worthy cause, and Christmas presents are his method of spreading joy this holiday season.
