Posted on 12/14/2014 9:01:07 AM PST by SeekAndFind
A Tarrant, Alabama Police officer who became an Internet sensation after he decided not to arrest a grandmother he caught shoplifting eggs but to buy her some eggs instead, went a step further this week when he delivered two truckloads of food to her home to help her children.
"The last time I saw my house this full, I was 12-years-old and staying with my grandmother," 47-year-old mother and grandmother Helen Johnson told al.com Wednesday after the food was delivered to her home. "I've been crying all day."
Last Saturday, Officer William Stacy of the Tarrant Police Department was called to investigate the Johnson after she attempted to steal a dozen eggs at the Dollar General Store on Pinson Valley Parkway. After finding out that the desperate woman was simply trying to feed her children, however, Stacy bought a dozen eggs for the mother after getting her to promise not to shoplift again.
A passerby who watched the heartwarming moment unfold captured it on video and posted it to Facebook and it went viral. Now according to Tarrant Police Chief Dennis Reno, a lot of help has been pouring in for the Johnson family.
On Wednesday, when Stacy and Officer Jay Jenkins delivered two loads of food to Johnson's apartment, she couldn't stop crying, and hugging Stacy.
"I just busted out and started hollering," said Johnson. "I was yelling so loud. I would have been a good cheerleader."
The now viral moment between Officer Stacy and Johnson has been doing a very good job in countering the current narrative of tensions between law enforcement and communities of color across the nation.
"It's growing and growing and growing,'' said Reno of the positive public reactions to Officer Stacy's gesture. "A guy called me from New York and just broke down. He said for two months he's been angry with police, and he said this has totally changed his mind."
Johnson's two daughters, a niece and two grandchildren, ages 1 and 3, reportedly live with her in her home and they had been having some financial trouble. Last Saturday, Johnson went to the Dollar General with $1.25 to buy a carton of eggs but realized she was short by 50 cents plus tax according to al.com. In desperation, she took five eggs from the carton and stuffed them in her pocket but the eggs broke.
"Of course when I put them in my jacket pocket they broke," said Johnson. "I'm not a good thief at all."
She was quickly stopped by a store worker after that who then called the police. When Stacy arrived, he said he had already spoken with officials at the store who decided not to press charges. Johnson however didn't know this.
"She started crying, she got very emotional and was very apologetic," said Officer Stacy. "She tried to give me the money she had on her, $1.25."
Johnson said she was waiting for Stacy to come take her away in handcuffs and could not believe it when he went into the store and returned with a carton of eggs.
"I was like, 'Oh my God, thank you Jesus for this man,'" she said. "He is my hero."
Stacy said he was moved with compassion because he remembered when his own family went through lean times as a child.
"The story she told me Saturday matched up with what I had seen when I was there," he said. "I felt like it was the right thing to do. I didn't want to pass judgment on her."
CLICK ABOVE LINK FOR THE VIDEO...
Some places tax all food. My state does.
My monthly food budget per person is $100. In addition to the chicken, pork, beef and assorted fresh veggies I cook from scratch, that budget includes fresh fruit, ice cream, cookies, fish sticks, chicken nuggets, bread and assorted junk foods. Of course, I buy store brands and whatever specials show up in the weekly grocery store flyer. My guess is this woman doesn't have a food problem - she's got a substance abuse problem.
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Benefit Computation Sheet
ND DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES/FSP
SFN 362 (Rev. 03-06)Household Size
41. Gross monthly earned income. $400.00 2. Multiply line 1 by 80% and enter here $320.00 3. Monthly unearned income $0.00 4. Add Line 2 and Line 3 $320.00 5. Expenses: a. Farm loss offset - averaged $0.00
b. Standard Deduction $163.00 c. Monthly medical costs for elderly/disabled household members
Total Medical: $0.00 minus 35.00 =Not Elderly or Disabled d. Dependent care costs $0.00 e. Child support paid to non-household members: $0.00 Total Lines 5a thru 5e. $163.00 6. Subtract Line 5 from Line 4. $157.00 7. Shelter costs: a. Rent or mortgage $500.00 b. Property tax and homeowners insurance $0.00 c. Plus HLSU - $590, LUSA - $217, MU - $181, TL - $36 $0.00 d. TOTAL $500.00 e. 1/2 of Line 6. $78.50 Subtract Line 7e from line 7d
(up to allowable maximum)$421.50 8. Subtract Line 7 from Line 6.
(net adjusted income)$0.00 9. Enter Thrifty Food Plan for household size $632.00 10. Multiply Line 8 by 30% $0.00 11. Subtract Line 10 from Line 9 and round down by dropping cents. $632.00 12. NET BENEFIT. $632.00
Went through the Fed snap calculator for AL, got the same results as ND:
http://www.snap-step1.usda.gov/fns/
The only sickening part of this story is the lack of compassion for others less fortunate at this holiday season from our so called Christian freepers. Just brings a tear to the eye. But for the grace of God go you and you and you.
It isn't the Grace of God that prevents many Freepers from leeching off their fellow taxpayers - it's discipline and self-control. A fair number of Freepers are in dire economic straits, but they soldier on without shoplifting. Save your compassion for the deserving poor, not recidivist lawbreakers like Eric Garner and this welfare scrounger. $160 per month per person in SNAP benefits is plenty of food. That she uses it for something other than food is a function of her mismanagement, not chance. I spend $100 per person per month. I have problems closing my freezer because it's so full, and I could survive on canned foods for a couple of months. Pasta sauce, canned soups, vegetables, rice, peanut butter, pasta, Spam, gnocchi, flour, yeast, baking powder, et al - it's all there.
First of all this has nothing to do with Eric Garner. And you have no way to know what that poor woman’s situation is. You are projecting. In addition denigrating an individual act of kindness which has nothing to do with the govt welfare is pretty pathetic.
So when did Jesus put you in charge of deciding who the deserving poor are? Snicker.
Stealing 6 eggs in your pocket is not the work of a career shop lifter its an act of desperation.
So you have food. Good for you. Everyone isn’t as fortunate as you are. You enjoy your spaghettios for Christmas.
Food-wise, everyone in America is as fortunate as I am. Poor people get $160 a month each in food stamps. There is no reason for any one of them to go hungry. The problem with many of these people - apart from selling their allowances to buy other things - is they buy spaghettios instead of cooking from scratch. A serving large enough to feed an adult is $2. Meanwhile, the equivalent meal made with chicken, store brand pasta and marinara sauce is $1.50 for 2 people. I made fettuccine alfredo with Swedish meatballs last night, and it cost me all of $1 per person, and that was one of my more expensive one dish meals.
I don't look down on people for not being rich or famous. I think people who work for a living and pay their own way are the salt of the earth, and are better people than misguided individuals with God-given talent like Soros or Romney. The issue with this lady is that she has people depending on her and yet she dropped the ball, despite copious government assistance courtesy of the taxpayer.
“The issue with this lady is that she has people depending on her and yet she dropped the ball, despite copious government assistance courtesy of the taxpayer.”
Again you have no idea what this woman’s situation is and how it came about. You have no clue yet you continue to spout projected theories about how much she gets from the govt every month.
Whats your excuse for denigrating a real Christian who privately managed to give this woman and her family an edge?
Well when your time comes and the good Lord asks you Zeng Fei what did you do to alleviate the suffering of your fellow man you can proudly proclaim. “Lord I kept a full freezer to share with the deserving poor but just never could find any”
These aren't theories - they're Federal government programs. Know the difference. Heck, pore through the eligibility requirements. I have. Nobody goes hungry in America who's not got a substance abuse problem (i.e. sells his food stamp allowance to get the fix of his choice).
I am aware of the eligibility requirements in GA and it is incredibly hard to get food stamps especially with multiple people in the household.
Again what is your problem with the cop giving through the kindness of his heart a private donation to someone in need?
Again what evidence can you show that this poor woman has enough or any govt assistance to sustain a household of at least 5 people?
Again what knowledge do you have as to the circumstances that led to this woman and her family being caught in a desparate financial situation?
And also what is your problem if the woman is getting some kind of assistance and its not enough so a private citizen helps out as a Christian kindness?
Jesus said “there will always be Sagisees and Pharisees” Being the good Christian you are I’ll assume you know what that means.
There's no need for adjectives or long narratives about the situation of the victim class. No guesswork as to who is eligible is necessary. I posted links to two food stamp calculators - one state and one federal. People without resources can get food stamps. Period. No ands, ifs or buts.
Well self righteousness is a wonderful feeling. I hope you and yours never have to feel so desparate that you steal 6 eggs.
As I said before its incredibly difficult to get food stamps and welfare as it should be.
You still have no information as to the condition of this woman and her family or whether they are even on food stamps and welfare so you are just basically spouting conjecture.
Why can’t you defend your disdain for a police officer who showed a Christian act of kindness for people he does not even know?
Falling back on spouting govt regulations is a sad defense of your unchristian attack on this poor woman and her family as well as a good and decent police office and his friends.
Merry Christmas. Enjoy your full freezer.
My mistake.
We don’t have any Dollar General Stores in my neck of the woods.
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