Photo: Debbie Worthen, KSL TV / Twitter
SALT LAKE CITY — Melea Johnson typically helps fans find the best deals on her popular YouTube channel “The Melea Show” – not necessarily using her role as social media influencer to raise money for charity.
But when the social media influencer heard that local charity For The Kids needed 450 food kits for children in need, she asked her followers to donate.
Johnson told KSL-TV that they responded by raising $10,000 in the first three hours.
“When we hit 24 hours and I checked our total, we were at $30,000,” Johnson said. “We tripled the amount of kids we’re going to be able to help.”
She had felt her fans would come through.
“The majority of my followers are moms that all have kids. I knew that it would pull on heartstrings,” said Johnson.
This is not the first time Johnson has organized donations to charity as an influencer. However, she usually asks her fans to support Secret Santa or toy programs.
For The Kids, on the other hand, provides meals for underserved children when they are not in school.
Executive Director Minda Zoloth was overwhelmed when she got the donation, which is the biggest in the charity’s history.
“I don’t cry very often. I was crying and happy and just really floored at how many people care,” Zoloth told KSL-TV.
The food kits will be handed out to children over the Christmas break.