On a rainy Thursday, Mrs. Callahan spotted a small girl in her grocery store, slipping bread and peanut butter into her backpack. The girl, no older than eight, looked scared and nervous.
“Sweetheart, stop,” Mrs. Callahan said gently. The girl, Sophie, whispered, “I’m sorry. I was hungry.” Her mother was very sick and they had no food.
Instead of calling the police, Mrs. Callahan called a social worker and packed a box of essentials. “You’re not in trouble,” she told Sophie. “We’ll get you help.”
The town rallied to support Sophie and her mother, bringing food and aid. Mrs. Callahan never charged Sophie for the food. “You were never stealing. You were saving.”
Months later, Sophie returned, smiling and holding a handmade thank-you card. “I want to help people like you helped me.”
Mrs. Callahan says, “I run this store not just for groceries, but to give kindness when it’s needed most.”
