Polly Charaker of Dover Township, York County met FOX43’s Pay it Forward crew in a church parking lot down the road from her house.
It was to make sure her dear friend and neighbor, Jess Little, wouldn’t see us and suspect she was up to something.
Charaker said Little is in desperate need of a Pay it Forward surprise.
“She’s a single mom, and she’s had it rough for the past couple months, but she’s really had it rough recently at the loss of her employment,” Charaker said.
Little lost her job as a paramedic in January. In both her professional and personal lives, she has always been there to help others.
“She’s helped another family live with her temporarily until they could find a place of their own,” Charaker said. “She’s just that kind of person, she opens her home to you and her heart and everything else. She’s just a wonderful, all-around person.”
Little was overcome with emotion when Charaker surprised her with the $200 gift from Pay it Forward at her doorstep.
“You have no idea what good timing this was!” she said.
Charaker had worked in emergency services for more than 20 years. She said losing her job has been tough, but she has been getting by.
“Faith and patience, which is hard to have,” Little said. “And friends and family. It’s all I can do, just taking it one day at a time.”
Her seven-year-old daughter Kayla keeps her spirits up.
“This is my angel girl,” Little said. “I believe things happen for a reason, and this happened at a perfect time.”
Little has been applying for jobs and said she’s looking to change careers after more than two decades in emergency services as an EMT and paramedic.
She plans to use the $200 to pay bills.