Last month, Manhattan dog walker JJ Cerillo stopped into a neighborhood bagel shop and later realized that she was missing $300, money she desperately needed to pay her rent. She returned to the shop, but came up empty-handed, so she posted a message in a local group chat hoping someone had found the money, knowing it was a long shot.
One of the first neighbors to respond, Drew, offered an idea. If two other people joined him, he said he would donate $10 to help replace the lost cash. Within a day, dozens of neighbors had pitched in, covering the full amount. Cerillo quickly shared that the goal had been met and thanked everyone for their kindness.
Drew says he stepped up because he once lost $600 and remembered how stressful it was. JJ says she holds no resentment about the missing money and believes whoever found it may have needed it more. She adds that the experience is a reminder of how caring and connected her community really is.
