Curtis Jenkins, a bus driver for Texas' Richardson Independent School District, wanted to ensure the students he brings to school had good Christmases.
In order to do so, he asked each of the 60 children he's responsible for transporting what they wanted. Then, as NBC Dallas-Fort Worth reports, he gave them what they asked for.
Jenkins told HuffPost he was moved to give “to let [the students] know I appreciate them.”
Jenkins said he began setting money aside for the students around this time last year. He used some of the money to buy food for students whose families had fallen on hard times during Thanksgiving. His wife, Shaneqia, helped him decide to use the rest of it for gifts.
Curtis told NBC he had originally planned for the children to exchange gifts. When his wife reminded him there'd likely be some students unable to afford gifts, it sparked the idea. He asked Shaneqia if she'd be willing forgo exchanging gifts this year so they could instead buy gifts for the children.
There was “No hesitation," Shaneqia said. "He's always wanting to do something for the kids, he's been talking about it for months."
“I’m not rich at all," Jenkins told HuffPost. "But I plan to one day be a blessing to people in need.”
He proved to be a blessing to his students this Christmas. They received everything from mechanical pencils to a brand new bike.
A Christian, Jenkins said the giveaway fits in with his faith, and said while he's careful not to preach to those on his bus, he does try to lead with love.
“I just let them know whatever they love is fine with me, just love somebody on the way,” he said, adding that he feels his work is a "a mission from God," and that he hopes he can be a good example.
“I’ve been one of those children that didn’t have a lot when I was younger,” he said. “If I had a person like me as a younger man, I would have made better choices in life.”
Lake Highlands Elementary, one of the schools in Jenkins' district, posted a photo of the gifts to Facebook Saturday, and by Sunday the post had gone viral.
"This reminds us how much good there is in the world, and how we should all strive to be more like Curtis," the caption underneath the photo read.
According to the Christian Post, it wasn't just students who were pleased by Jenkins' selfless act. Their parents were too.
Lake Highlands Elementary School PTA president Jennifer Wilcox said she and the parents she represents “are just so thankful for his spirit, and his kindness and his generosity to the kids."
Jenkins said he was happy to be able to give, and that the response he has received has inspired him to begin working on his dream of opening a nonprofit to help youth.
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