Homeless get shopping excursion, thanks to Powerball winner

[Omaha Steve]

Source: Omaha World Herald

By Kevin Cole

For the sixth consecutive year, a 2006 Powerball winner from Nebraska has supplied some of the city's homeless with holiday cheer.

Alain Maboussou donated $20,000 to Siena-Francis House so its residents could do some Christmas shopping.

Tim Sully, a spokesman for the shelter at 1702 Nicholas St., said staff members distributed $35 Walmart gift cards to nearly 550 people who stayed overnight Sunday.

Siena-Francis House also will provide transportation to and from the Walmart Supercenter store at 1606 S. 72nd St. Three buses will transport gift card recipients starting at 9 a.m., with the last one returning about noon.

FULL story at link.




Read more: http://www.omaha.com/article/20131223/NEWS/131229590/1685#homeless-get-shopping-excursion-thanks-to-powerball-winner

[shenmue]

1. Neat!

[LeftofObama]

2. K & R!

[OnlinePoker]

3. I wonder if he was influenced by this at all

A Calgary man who won $40-million says he will donate it all to charity.
Tom Crist was the winner of the Lotto Max jackpot on May 3.


http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/giving/40-million-lotto-winner-says-hell-donate-all-money-to-foundation-for-charity/article16001733/

[muriel_volestrangler]

8. It says it's the 6th year he's done this

He won in 2006.

[OnlinePoker]

10. It's funny that I skipped right over that preamble.

I'm glad that some who have won big are willing to part with some of their winnings to help alleviate want in their community.

[Egnever]

38. I wouldnt lay it all at the feet of altruism

Maybe i am cynical but tax break comes immediately to mind.

[Cryptoad]

4. ummmm

Jesus said to give to the needy in Private, not making a big deal in Public about it...

sounds like somebody is more concerned about them getting all the Glory than they are in the Needy!

[Earth_First]

5. :gasp:

That's it!

Cancel Christmas!!!! 1

[Enthusiast]

6. I agree.

[TommyCelt]

7. Who cares? I'm a pragmatist!

Last edited Mon Dec 23, 2013, 05:45 PM - Edit history (1)

Christ said "Amen I say unto you, he has received his reward..."

And maybe that's what the benefactor wanted. More power to him.

The point is $20K was donated to 550 needy people. Good stuff, I say!

[muriel_volestrangler]

9. Or maybe he's doing it for his own reasons, not what it says in a book

Doing it in public may encourage others who are similarly rich to follow suit.

[Prisoner_Number_Six]

11. He also said

"Truly, I say to you, as you did it for one of the least of these my brothers, you did it for me." And again, "Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it for one of the least of these, you did not do it for me."

[redwitch]

12. I am hoping there will be copycats.

Why shouldn't good things cause more good things? I am ok with him doing this publicly for that reason. Plus, it makes me happy that someone with plenty recognizes that fact and shares.

Apparently Muriel agrees with me.

[mimi85]

16. This is exactly

one of the reasons why I'd like to be wealthy. I only need one house, one car, one TV...I'm not that unusual of a person, but I've told my family many times that if I ever lucked out via the lottery or a rich aunt shows up (yeah right) the first thing I'd do is start giving - somehow.

Since my grandson came out, I've done most of my charitable giving to the LGBT place in L.A. that takes care, at least temporarily, of runaway teens or teens that have been abused (usually one and the same). It truly breaks my heart. The same grandson teases me when we're at a family holiday dinner or whenever about "Mimi and her starving kids in Africa."

Or my husband will say that there are so many needy people in the world that it's too overwhelming to try to do everything. True, but every little positive action helps.

Well, good for this man, I wish more people would be more generous. Just think of what good all that Koch Bros. money could do.

[flvegan]

25. There is always one.

Always one to crap on charity. Did the donor seek out "the Glory" or did it just sort of come about?

Holy shit but people like you fucking ruin it for everyone.

[Cryptoad]

27. ruin it?

$35 at WallyWorld..... yea this asshole really gives a shit about the person in need. LMAO

[cyberswede]

32. FFS

Something is better than nothing.

[Cryptoad]

33. ZaaaSir, Master ! nt

[cyberswede]

34. I don't get it

[Hosnon]

29. Who says it was done because of Christianity?

Christmas is a secular holiday to many people these days.

[Cryptoad]

30. There is much difference

between the teachings of Jesus and Christianity.

[Hosnon]

31. Not sure what your point is.

Anonymous donating is a Christian virtue (not exclusively). I'm not a Christian and see anonymous giving as just as good as non-anonymous giving, and referencing Jesus to me wouldn't mean much.

[SheilaT]

13. In the Kansas City area there was a man who for a number of years

in the days or weeks leading up to Christmas, would go out and simply hand out $100 bills to people that he thought could use the money. Apparently he was a business man of some sort who'd done well, and that was his way of sharing. He remained anonymous for some years, and I think it was the last year he did this, and it was his last year because he some fatal disease, he allowed his name to be known.

[maxsolomon]

14. Not to look a gift horse in the mouth, but...

does it have to be Walmart gift cards?

[shraby]

15. Who gives a shit if it's Walmart or Palmart?? The thought really counts when you are homeless.

[maxsolomon]

17. Because the money then goes to a company that pays its employees poverty wages.

That is why I give a shit. Walmart is, in essence, being rewarded for perpetuating the cycle.

There are plenty of other stores where $35 would go a long way that don't have employees applying for SNAP benefits - Costco for one.

[redwitch]

18. I wish we had a costco near us.

Plenty of WalMarts, No Costco.

[Marrah_G]

19. Don't you have to have a membership to shop at Costco

[maxsolomon]

20. Oh yeah. Good point. I withdraw that suggestion.

A grocery store, then. One that pays union wages.

[ForgoTheConsequence]

21. What if they don't want groceries?

They might need shoes and socks or underwear.


There are no union grocery stores in Omaha.

[penultimate]

24. Read that as unicorn grocery stores at first.

[maxsolomon]

36. Then Target, Kmart, Sears, a local camping store, a dollar store.

And I didn't know that grocery stores in Omaha weren't unionized. But I did say "union wages", not "unionized".

Sweet Jesus, do I really have to argue that Walmart is a malignant force in our national economy on DU?

[ForgoTheConsequence]

37. I've worked for two of those stores....

Got paid minimum wage with no benefits at both. No one is arguing with you about Walmart, but it isn't just Walmart that's the problem.

[Omaha Steve]

26. Just like Walmart's Sam's club

Costco allows workers to unionize without any harassment or union breaking tactics and still makes more per square foot and customer than Walmart.

[chungking34]

22. Aww, how nice

If only other rich people were as considerate and compassionate as him.

[JI7]

23. i have problems with Walmart but i don't know this area and maybe there aren't

many other options. and plus these are homeless people so a gift card to some higher end place might not help much since there will be limited options on what they could get.

i would probably have done one of those credit card type gift cards though. the ones that can be used at any business which accepts those cards.

[Egnever]

39. With 550 homeless I am betting

Wal mart isnt the only option.

[Auntie Bush]

28. I love stories like that. Good for him...a real hero to so many unfortunate people.

I wish more 1-5%ers would do something like this...directly help people rather than donating to charities where they have no idea where and to whom the money went. I would do that if I had the money. I'd know it wasn't in some CEO or executive's pocket. Another good idea is to send deserving hard working kids to college and watch and be directly involved in their progress.