When was the last time someone did something particularly kind, generous or selfless for you?

When was the last time that you did something kind for someone else? What did you do and how did it make you feel?

Do you think you would ever do something for others even if you wouldn’t receive any recognition or reward?

In “A Farmer Secretly Paid for His Neighbors’ Prescriptions for Years,” Emily Schmall writes about the inspiring story of Hody Childress and his act of selfless generosity:

When the doctor saw what a hornet sting had done to Eli Schlageter, 15, causing his mouth and throat to swell, his advice to Eli’s parents was unequivocal: Get an EpiPen.

But they were stunned to learn that a single dose of the lifesaving drug, used to treat severe allergic reactions, cost $800 — even with insurance coverage — at their local pharmacy in Geraldine, Ala., a farm town about 60 miles southeast of Huntsville.

The pharmacist, Brooke Walker, found a coupon to knock off a few hundred dollars from the total. But Eli’s mother, Bree Schlageter, still balked at the price. So, to help the family, Dr. Walker turned to an envelope full of carefully folded hundred-dollar bills from an anonymous donor.

Every month for more than a decade, a local farmer, Hody Childress, had made anonymous cash donations to the pharmacy, Geraldine Drugs, aiming to help neighbors struggling to pay for prescription medication. The wider community learned of his good deed only after he died at 80 in January. Now, his family and donors from across the United States have vowed to continue his legacy.

“I think he felt like he couldn’t not give,” Tania Nix, 58, the daughter of Mr. Childress, said. “Giving that way, that just got on his heart and he felt like he needed to do it.”

The article continues:

In 2010, Mr. Childress walked into Geraldine Drugs and pulled Dr. Walker, the pharmacist, aside.

“‘I have a question,’” she recalled him saying, “‘Do you ever have anyone who can’t pay for their medication?’”

“‘Well, yeah, that happens a good bit,’” she told him.

He handed her a folded hundred-dollar bill and said, “‘The next time that happens, I want you to use this,’” she recalled. “‘I want it to be anonymous. I don’t want to know any details on who you use it on, just tell them this is a blessing from the Lord,’” he told her.

He came back a month later with another folded bill, a practice he continued until late 2022, when he became too ill with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease to leave his home. At that point, he decided to confide his secret to one other person, his daughter, Ms. Nix, who promised to carry on the contributions.

Students, read the entire article, then tell us:

  • What is your reaction to this story? Mr. Childress’s daughter said of her father’s act of kindness, “I think he felt like he couldn’t not give. Giving that way, that just got on his heart and he felt like he needed to do it.” What can we learn about the kindness of others from Mr. Childress’s big heart and generosity?

  • Have you ever heard of any similar acts of generosity in your community? How common do you think it is for this to happen?

  • The article says that Mr. Childress’s good deed was learned about only after he died at 80 in January. Do you think you would consider doing something meaningful for others even if you knew you wouldn’t receive any public recognition or thanks?

  • Do you have any stories from your own life of helping or being helped by people whom you did not know? Are you more likely to help others — even strangers — now that you read this article?

  • Do you think there is truth in the adage “It’s better to give than to receive”? Explain.

  • Ms. Schmall writes that Alabama, where Mr. Childress lived, spends less than the national average on Medicaid, the state and federal health insurance for the poor and vulnerable. She also notes that about a quarter of Americans struggle to pay for prescription medicine, many skipping doses, cutting pills in half or going without. While Mr. Childress’s generosity is inspiring, should we rely on individual charity to meet people’s basic needs like prescription drugs? Or do we need other kinds of remedies?

  • Do you wish more people showed kindness to strangers? Do you think the world would be a better place if they did?

Jeremy Engle

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