Jennifer Lopez, Alex Rodriguez donate year's worth of food to Tennessee school food pantry after teacher's viral post
Jennifer Lopez and Alex Rodriguez have donated a year's worth of meals to a Tennessee elementary school after a post by one of the school's teachers went viral.
A teacher at Jacksboro Elementary School posted to Facebook earlier this month a story about a student at her school who did not have enough to eat. It was shared thousands of times and, as donations poured in, the school was able to set up a food pantry for students.
Lopez saw the story and said she and her fiance "knew we had to help."
"It brought tears not just to my eyes, but Alex's as well!" Lopez wrote on Instagram.
"I don’t know if you guys know, but Alex and I are part owners in a company called Tiller & Hatch, and we decided to donate a years worth of of their yummy, healthy meals, for the students and their school’s food pantry," she announced.
She explained that being able to help struggling kids like this "is why being a business owner, and having actual ownership in companies (not licensing), is so important to me and Alex, especially as Latinos."
"It's about showing our community, this is what life can be. You can take charge and take ownership," she continued.
The star, whose mother, Guadalupe Rodríguez, was a teacher, also explained why she values her ability to make an impact on other's lives so much.
Giving back and being there for others is really what matters most.
"It allows us to have a say in creating things that make people's lives better and have partners that share our passion for giving back," she wrote. "Because giving back and being there for others is really what matters most."
The famous pair is not alone in chipping in to help the children. Brooke Goins, the teacher who shared the original post describing the students in need, has shared many updates on Facebook thanking members of her community for their assistance in helping the kids.
A food pantry was even created for the students.
"The support that our community, and even those far away, has been amazing," Goins told "GMA" earlier the month. "We [the teachers involved] believe it has opened eyes to those who are not in our schools every day. We love reading the comments from teachers who are doing similar things in their areas, that gives us hope in humanity."
Or, as Lopez put it: "No child should EVER have to go to sleep hungry."
"Everyone should have access to delicious, nutritious food," she wrote.
