Coronavirus Update: 8-Year-Old Gathers Food Donations, Not Gifts, For His Birthday
LYNDHURST, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- There is still so much good out there, no matter how hard times may be.
A little boy used his birthday as a chance to do some good and rally his community behind him.
Emilio Flores was preparing to celebrate his eighth birthday in quarantine. That's not an ideal celebration for any child, but the Lyndhurst boy took the hand he was dealt, and decided to pay it forward.
"A few days ago before my birthday, I heard my mom and dad talking about donating to a food bank. So I thought why couldn't I make one?" Emilio said.
CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC
- Resources, Hotlines, Unemployment & Covering Bills
- Remote Learning Tools For Parents Teaching At Home
- Ask Dr. Max Your Health Questions
- How Make Your Own DIY Face Mask
- How To Safely Remove Disposable Gloves
- Tips For Parents To Help Kids Cope
- Complete Coronavirus Coverage
So he wrote a letter to his parents and neighbors, explaining that instead of receiving gifts he wanted to spend his birthday, April 21, on his driveway collecting food donations.
"When he gave us the letter, we made photocopies and went up and down the block with my husband and my daughter and Emilio hand-delivering all the letters," Mayra Flores said.
Between word of mouth and social media, the donations, plus a couple of balloons and birthday cards, started pouring in.
"The mayor came. The police came," Emilio said. "I feel great knowing that I helped so many people."
Emilio collected more than 4,000 food items in one day. The donations will go to local food banks in Lyndhurst and Harrison.
CORONAVIRUS: NY Health Dept. | NY Call 1-(888)-364-3065 | NYC Health Dept. | NYC Call 311, Text COVID to 692692 | NJ COVID-19 Info Hub | NJ Call 1-(800)-222-1222 or 211, Text NJCOVID to 898211 | CT Health Dept. | CT Call 211 | Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
"We're doing good, so it's amazing he thought of others, and he's willing to help others in a time of need," Mayra said.
No birthday spent in quarantine is a typical one, but Emilio's big heart made his big day even more unique.
"How did you plan on spending your birthday?" asked CBS2's Nina Kapur.
"I planned on going to Six Flags, either Six Flags or Busch Gardens, just to have a fun day," Emilio said.
PHOTO GALLERY: Coronavirus Shutdown 30 Days In
"And how did this compare?" Kapur asked.
"Way better!" Emilio said.
You can't quite put the goodness of child's heart into words, but you can definitely feel it.
