Grocery Cashier's Good Deed Goes Viral

CEDAR FALLS, IA — A good deed by a young grocery store employee is drawing online praise from across the state after a customer snapped a photo of him helping a shopper who was short on cash. The charitable act also earned the young man recognition within the Hy-Vee company, a store manager told Patch.

Charis Hope Hansen posted on Facebook that she was at the College Square Hy-Vee store in Cedar Falls on Monday afternoon and ready to check out when the family ahead of her was trying to come up with a few dollars to pay for their items after not having enough left on their state EBT card, which is issued to food stamp recipients.

The employee, identified only as Connor, "was helping a family in front of me that was scraping pennies (literally) and only had less than $3 on their EBT card," Hansen wrote, adding that their "change was on the conveyor belt and rolled down under the counter."

Hansen said the employee "tried his hardest to get them all" as the coins rolled around. As he counted, he realized they didn't have enough to make up the shortfall.

Hansen said Connor "got his own wallet out and put $2 in so they could get the few items they had got. When he did it, he did it like it was no big deal."

Hansen's post has been "liked" more than 5,100 times and shared more than 1,000 times by midday Tuesday.

The store management shared it on the Hy-Vee page, adding: "We are proud of you Connor! Great job!!"

Store manager Kevin Barry said Connor, a college student who has worked for Hy-Vee since 2014, is a great example of Hy-Vee's helpful employees.

"Our number one goal is to strive for great customer service and getting this recognition and attention hopefully shows that we are doing that," Barry told Patch.

More than 360 people "liked" the store's post and commenters suggested the young man be made employee of the month. Barry said coincidentally Connor, who works with the store's "aisles online" program and as a checker and courtesy clerk, recently was the employee of the month.

Hansen, whose post lauded the young man for "an act of selflessness and kindness to help someone less fortunate," said she felt he "went above and beyond" in his role as a cashier.

"This young was raised by parents who taught him how to be a gentleman," added Jackie Wood Shinn. "Congrats to this fine young man and his parents."

Barry, the store manager, said the simple act brought widespread attention to the store Monday and Tuesday and Connor, whose actions have been talked about on radio and television, will be recognized for his outstanding customer service.

"It's a feel-good thing to have something like this happen when most of the news you hear today isn't positive," Barry said.

Main image via Jane M Sawyer/Morguefile