Earlier this summer, a father embarrassed his daughter and ex-wife when he dumped 80,000 pennies on their front lawn as his last child support payment, reported News 6 in Richmond, Va.
Since then, the women’s choice to donate the money to Safe Harbor, a local organization that helps survivors of domestic violence, sexual violence and human trafficking has inspired more donations to pour in. According to the Washington Post, donations increased by $5,000 within a week after the story was first reported in early June.
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Avery Sanford, who just celebrated her 18th birthday, was participating in remote learning through Deep Run High School when her father dumped the pennies on her lawn in May.
“He pulled up in front of the house and turned the trailer on so it dumped out all the pennies on the grass,” she said. She didn't know who it was until her dad shouted that it was her final $825 child support payment, said Sanford.
Less than 44 percent of custodial parents the complete amount of money they are owed in child support, according to a U.S. Census Bureau report.
Home-security footage obtained by the Washington Post shows a man in an SUV pull up to a house with a trailer attached to the vehicle on May 21. The man operated the trailer so that it dumped the pennies on the front lawn and sidewalk of the home before driving away, video shows.
Sanford said it was upsetting that her father wanted to embarrass her as well as her mother and sister. However, she decided to turn the difficult experience into something positive. After the pennies were scooped up, she donated the entire payment to Safe Harbor.
“Turning around and donating that money to moms and children in need, I feel like that really turns this situation into a positive. You can learn from it,” Sanford said.
The incoming college freshman had not been in contact with her father for years. After the penny incident, she realizes this was the right choice. She has no interest in having a relationship with anyone who disrespected her mother.
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“It's really hurtful and damaging to your kids when you do things like that. It doesn't matter if they're young or an adult, the actions of your parents will always have some effect on you,” Sanford said.
Her mother reported the incident to the Henrico Police in Virginia.
Henrico County Police Lt. Matt Pecka told the Washington Post that an officer responded to “a domestic-related incident” in Glen Allen, Va., about 14 miles north of Richmond, this May. When the officer arrived, authorities found a large “[amount] of pennies in the roadway in front of the address,” with Sanford’s mother saying her ex-husband was responsible for the dump. No charges were filed.
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Sanford’s father said his actions were the result of 18 years of built-up frustration and his emotions got the best of him when contacted by News 6. The last thing he wanted to do was to put a further wedge between him and his daughter, he added.
Around a week after the incident, Mary Maupai of Safe Harbor got an email in her inbox from Sanford’s mother. Maupai said gifts citing Sanford’s donation as a catalyst for donating ranged between $25 and $1,000.
Sanford told local media that she plans on attending Virginia Tech University for the upcoming school year.
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