Dive Brief:
-
A charity group called “Pay Away the Layaway” is working to top its past efforts to pay off some customers’ layaway bills by raising more than $100,000 this year. It has already paid off toy and other bills at stores nationwide.
-
And anonymous donors this year have also paid off outstanding balances on layaway bills at Wal-Mart stores in three states, totaling nearly $500,000.
-
The surprises leave shoppers in disbelief and employees gratified to be able to tell customers that their holiday purchases have been taken care of. One donor told the Today show that she’s motivated because she was having a tough time giving gifts one year and knows how hard the holidays can be when people are struggling financially.
Dive Insight:
At a time when there’s pressure to spend, and with many people still struggling financially even in a stronger economy, these “secret Santa” moments are bright spots and enduring surprises.
"Pay Away the Layaway, through the power of giving, has made such an incredible impact on the lives of families during a very special time of the year," the group's volunteer director, Lydia Lugo, told Retail Dive in an email. "To be able to help make sure a child wakes up on Christmas morning with a gift under the tree is the true the definition of kindness."
On Tuesday, a "secret Santa" paid off the $28,000 total balance of layaway orders, at a Lorain, OH, Wal-Mart store. Manager Beverly Vargo told ABC News, that such moments are "positive" and "exciting" for employees and customers alike.
Customers "feel very blessed that someone has come in and done this," Vargo said. "Most of them have multiple children, so it's giving them money to take care of other things.”