Dad Pays Final Child Support With 80,000 Pennies, Then Mom and Daughters Donate Coins to Domestic Abuse Victims

When it comes to child support and paying it, sometimes the stories you hear can be rather shocking. But nothing quite compares to what Avery Sanford witnessed when her biological father made his final child support payment.

Causing A Scene

Some kids are on good terms with their parents, even if both of them don’t share a household. Avery and her dad, however, are not on great terms. How he chose to make his last and final child support payment might shed some light on why things are the way they are between them. Shortly after Avery Sanford’s 18th birthday, on an average Virginia summer afternoon, a landscaping trailer appeared in front of her mom’s house.

“He pulled up in front of our house, like turned the trailer on so it dumped out all the pennies in the street in front of our house. And my mom walked outside while it was happening. She didn’t recognize them at first. She asked, what are you dumping on my lawn? He said it’s your final child support payment. And that’s when she realized who it was,” Avery told News4.

The embarrassing display led by Avery’s dad ended with him dumping a trailer full of pennies on their lawn and on the road in front of their home. According to the Lexington Herald, a spokesperson from Henrico County Police confirmed a “domestic-related incident” occurred at the residence of the Sanfords’ on May 21 and described a “sustainable amount of pennies” on the premises. That was when Ms. Sanford told police her ex-husband had stopped by and made a child support payment.

Read: Manager Fired Mom For Missing Work While Her Son Was On Life Support: “No Reason You Can’t Work”

Making Positive Changes with the Child Support Payment

Avery wasn’t going to let the embarrassing display and negative actions of her father affect her or her mom. Instead, they made a remarkable decision to do something positive with the final child support payment. Every single penny is being donated to a women’s shelter, “Safe Harbor.” Cathy Easter is the executive director of Safe Harbor, and she spoke with the Washington Post about this wonderful donation.

“They were able to turn such a negative experience, and what her daughter witnessed, into a positive.” “They found a way to turn this around and not feel devastated about it.”

Richmond, VA is where Safe Harbor Shelter is located, and they offer services for many women who need help. According to their website, they “provide the support that survivors of sexual and domestic violence and human trafficking need to overcome their crisis and to transform their lives.” What an amazing and generous thing for Avery and her mom to do!

The Good News Continues

You might have heard the saying about every storm cloud having a silver lining. Well, in this instance, it is absolutely true. Mary Maupai, the development director for Safe Harbor, and Cathy Easter have shared some great news recently. The child support payment that spurred all of this has resulted in something truly incredible. The story of Avery and her donation has been a catalyst for more donations! According to Maupai, the shelter has received multiple donations ranging from $25 to $1000.

“The fact that these gifts are coming in at this time is just like a godsend,” Easter told the Washington Post. “I’m very sorry the family experienced this but so grateful they reached out and chose to do this and share their story.”

Being a parent is all about setting examples. Show your children the kind of person you want them to become by being that person. Remember, you are so much more than just a parent; you are a mom.

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