LEHIGH ACRES, Fla. — School will start in just a few weeks, and this time of year can be a financial burden for both families and teachers. A gracious act of one stranger lifted that burden for a Lehigh teacher.
Crayons, scissors, notebooks, wipes, Play-Doh and more school supplies sit on Emily Vinsand's porch as she prepares for her first grade class.
"It is a challenge for a lot of families in general to provide the schools supplies for their students," Vinsand said.
She even buys extra backpacks and lunch boxes for her students
since she knows there's a chance at least one child may show up empty handed.
Every year, Vinsand spends at least $500 from her own wallet to prep her classroom, and her coworker, Stacia Wilkin, does the same.
"It's got to come from somewhere, so I need to make sure I have what they need, and if that means I have to buy it, then I have to buy it," Wilkin says.
They want students to feel at home in their classroom, so decorations like this make students feel more comfortable.
No child should feel left out, so most teachers know when to step up, Wilkin said.
"At school we are their parents. We are their mom and their home away from home," Wilkin added.
When Vinsand went to buy all these supplies, she was prepared to foot the bill.
That's until a stranger in line behind her did the unexpected.
"Huge, huge weight lifted off of my shoulders," Vinsand said.
He paid for Vinsand's whole entire cart which cost $800.
Vinsand said, "I was honestly asking him, 'Are you sure? Like do you just want to get a $20 gift card?' Because I was sort of in disbelief that he wanted to purchase everything in my cart for my class."
She knows her students will feel just as grateful next month. Vinsand and Wilkin said an act of kindness like that goes a long way.
"It's a dream come true for any teacher because honestly it's a financial burden," Wilkin added.
Especially, as teachers in Lee County fight for better pay.
"Not only that someone filled our need, of the things we need to to provide for them, and maybe I can actually pay my own bills," Wilkin said when someone helps out.
Lee County students go back to school August 12.
