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Mom makes lunch for son's classmate who can't afford it

Posted at 8:28 AM, Oct 21, 2016
and last updated 2016-10-21 11:28:17-04

A New Mexico mom who's been making lunch for her son's classmate is hoping others will be inspired by her kindness.

For two months now, Josette Duran, 38, of Albuquerque said she's been sending two homemade lunches to school with her son Dylan, 14. One for him, and one for his classmate who couldn't afford his own.

"About the second week that school started this year, I was making Dylan's lunch in the morning and out of nowhere, he said 'Mama, can you make two lunches?'" Duran told ABC News. "I said, 'Why, are you not getting full enough?' Dylan said, 'No, there's a little boy at school. He only eats a fruit cup. [He has] no money. Can you make two lunches?' I said, 'Sure.'"

After Duran had been sending snacks, sandwiches and encouraging sticky notes to Dylan's friend, Duran said the child's mother had thanked her in person at the school last week.

"Dylan said, 'Mom, this is the boy.'" Duran said. "Up until then, I didn't ask, 'What does he look like? Show me.' I didn't even care at that point. She [the mother] told me, 'Thank you for feeding him. He's doing better in school,' and that my son is his best friend."

The school, at which Duran is the coach for the girls' volleyball team, declined to comment on the story and wished to remain anonymous.

Duran said she wouldn't accept any money she said the mother offered to pay her in return for the lunches that were made for her son.

Duran recently shared the experience in a Facebook Live video.

"To us, we were just doing something normal," Duran said. "We never questioned it. If anything, we have to go back to the home. I know we are busy parents but ask, 'Are you doing OK in school? Is someone else [you know] not doing OK in school?' Keep your eyes and ears open. Say something. Don't be scared to say something and don't be scared to be nice."