Most fans of an animated series enjoy participating in the lore of the show; whether through cosplaying, conventions, T-shirts, or other swag, there is a cost to fandom. For NYU social work student Jennifer Bryant, however, the cost became prohibitive.

That’s because Bryant’s four-year-old son Noah, a fan of the animated franchise SpongeBob Squarepants, used his mom’s smartphone to order a staggering amount of SpongeBob-branded popsicles. The total bill for 51 cases worth (or 918 individual frozen treats) was $2,618.85. Because it’s a perishable food, Amazon said the order was non-refundable.

After hearing about her predicament, one of Bryant’s friends set up a GoFundMe page to get some help paying off the surprise expense that she could not afford. And when word got around about Bryant, a mom of three, working, and going to school full-time, she received an outpouring of financial support.

It seems that people were not only attracted to the humorous novelty of the story, but receptive to the special needs of children on the autism spectrum, as Noah is. Not only did donations meet the initial goal of covering the full cost of the Amazon bill, but almost ten times more.

On the GoFundMe page, Jennifer included this note of gratitude:

Thank you SO much for your mind-blowing generosity and support. We’re so grateful to have made back the $2.618.85 in a mere 24 hours (!!!). As a parent to a child living with Autism Spectrum Disorder, all additional donations will go towards Noah’s education and additional supports. We cannot thank you enough. Truly.

Possible Preaching Angle:

Parents exist to give structure and limits for children to offset their boundless curiosity and enthusiasm. However, even the best parents have moments of trial and struggle. One of the best expressions of Christian community is when members of the body can support parents in their times of need, so that their children can continue to be raised in a healthy manner.