BAY CITY, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – An anonymous donor has given the Bay City Public School District money to pay for the debt owed by any student for any meal charged in the school year up to the date of the donation.

WNEM-TV5 interviewed Janet Nettleton, Director of Nutrition Services for Bay City Public Schools, and she said, “We were just overwhelmed and overjoyed.” She went on to say, “I don’t know if you can even say how big the impact is because each of our families are having their own individual struggles. So anytime that takes anything off of a family, it’s huge.”

MORE NEWS: Travel and Turkey: Planning Ahead Should Be on Everyone’s Plate This Thanksgiving

The donation will affect two schools in Bay City. Most of the schools in Bay City are part of something called a “Community Eligibility Provision” which allows students to eat free but they have two buildings in their school district that are not part of that program.

The holiday season has been bringing out the best in Michigan residents and other anonymous donations are showing up around the state as well.

In Huron County, at the end of November, many anonymous donors contributed to the Huron County Sheriff’s Office which be used for the delivery of cash gifts or food certificates to people who are dealing with a job loss, an illness or grandparents raising their grandchildren and other hardships. Some of the money will also be donated to non-profit organizations who provide services to the homeless population.

In a Facebook post sent to the Huron County Sheriff’s Office last year during their holiday effort, Kim Big had commented, “At mom’s house in Michigan when there was a knock on the door and a Deputy with the Sheriff’s Department asking for mom. They gave her a Christmas card with $100 inside. Sometimes God answers at just the right time. It’s not the money but the heart behind the gift that matters and today it was needed. Losing dad has been heartbreaking and seeing that people care means everything. Thank you.”

In 2021, the Huron County Sheriff’s Office received their highest donation tally ever with $28,000 collected. The nine-year program has distributed more than $288,000 in cash and toys over the years, impacting thousands of Huron County residents.

MORE NEWS: Branching Out: Michigan’s Tree Grant Grows Greener Than Ever

Another anonymous donation came in the form of a rare coin that appeared in the red kettle of a Michigan Salvation Army volunteer in St. Clair Shores. The gold coin was dropped off in a kettle at a Krogers and is estimated to be valued at almost $2,000. This donation also help folks who have fallen on hard times.

The Salvation Army’s Red Kettle campaign has a fundraising goal of $8.2 million this year so that they can provide more than 2.1 million meals, more than 405,000 nights of shelter and nearly 88,000 Christmas toys and gifts for children and seniors.