As most mornings go, I woke up, drank my coffee from Starbucks and browsed my social media apps. The first thing that was on my Facebook news-feed wasn't the normal post I see from a friend or family member. This video, posted by Upworthy, was the first thing to catch my eye with a caption reading "Supermarket sweet: This generous organization pays for strangers' groceries and is giving back one cart at a time."
I immediately searched Fill My Basket to find out more about the organization and actually had the pleasure of talking with Matthew Danuser, the man who started this all up by a simple Facebook post.
" The organization started July 19th, 2016 as I woke up and saw a guy doing the same thing and I knew this was something I was going to do. I posted to Facebook and a good friend from high school messaged me and said I will follow your lead and here we are today. It's been such a blessing. "
Fill My Basket is an organization that pays it forward to complete strangers. The boys involved go to grocery stores, get in line when customers are checking out and pay their bill. They simply say " I've got this one " and walk away. The joy and thankfulness received from the customers is the mission the boys have set out to get.
" A lawyer contacted me and made us a non profit all pro bono about Sept. 2016 so that's the legal start date. I brought my friend Disty Simpson in and made him my co executive director. He and I are still the only directors. I started with he and I, camera guy Nick Bubb, a helper Felix Cornejo and another associate when he had time. "
The Fill My Basketprocess helps from the littlest things of a gallon of milk to groceries for a family of seven but no matter the amount, it all helps. The boys involved in the Fill My Basket organization have been able to do so all based on donations, except for their first trip to the grocery store. For the first one the boys used the money they received from their bonus, as well as money right from their pockets to help out people in need.
"Today there is me, Disty, Nick, Felix and our lawyer Mikel Flores. We are out of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. We have an Oklahoma Standard here that you always help people in need. Something most of us do here! Fill my baskets have been all Buy For Less grocery stores in Oklahoma City. We have been asked by every state, every country about to bring Fill My Basket there and that's what we are in the process of now, getting to the entire world. Keep this movement alive and strong."
For contact information about volunteering or donations visit http://www.fillmybasket.org/ as well as liking and following the page on Facebook or even snapchat (fillmybasketorg)!
