On Thursday we picked one of our viewers for helping to feed the hungry by giving him $7,000 as part of our campaign. ABC7 News anchor Dan Ashley called Jander Yat to deliver the good news.
Yat thought it was a joke at first. He didn't believe he won $7,000 from ABC7 News and now he and his family couldn't be more thankful.
He was doing laundry when he got the call that would make his holidays a whole lot brighter.
"When I started talking to Dan and I heard his voice... I said, 'Oh, this was for real,'" said Yat.
Yat is the winner of the ABC7 Give Where You Live campaign which raised $75,000 for local food banks. Viewers who pledged to help also got a chance to win $7,000. Yat has his 8-year-old son Tyler to thank for winning that money.
"I was checking Facebook and I saw this contest and I was thinking that my dad should enter, so we could get new stuff," said Tyler.
Yat didn't think he'd actually win. He just thought he could do something good for the community even though his own family was struggling.
"I've been out a job for almost a month and then I got a lot of bills to pay, so it's kind of hard," said Yat.
But it was also an opportunity to set a good example for Tyler.
"Whatever you do it comes back to you no matter what. You do good, it comes back to you," said Yat.
And now Yat has $7,000 coming his way -- money he already has plans for.
"First buy gifts for my kid. Pay the rent, bills that I have since I haven't been working for a little bit and catch up to that," said Yat.
Tyler told me what he thought his dad should do with the money.
"Help charity and help people when they need stuff," said Tyler. Then I asked if he was hoping for anything. "Get a new bed, get a new desk and get a new couch and get clothes and food."
Tyler only wants what his family needs.
And you can still give where you live. Here are a list of Bay Area food banks that could use your help.
