Pay It Forward: Two families receive Christmas shopping spree

LAFAYETTE, La. (KLFY) – Every month, News 10 partners with Bob Giles and Giles Automotive to spotlight local residents who pay it forward. This month, we have a Christmas special Pay It Forward.

We met Debbie Thibodeaux and explained to her what we were doing and she wanted to pay it forward to two deserving families with a $2,500 shopping spree.

Bob Giles explained the envelope is a certificate for a shopping spree at Target for $2,500.

Debbie thought of her best friend's granddaughter, Jaci Noel, and her three children. Noel just had a baby and she has three kids. Debbie called her friend, Sarah, to find out where Jaci was so we could surprise her. She was home with her week-old baby.

We arrived to Jaci's home and Debbie knocked on her door. Jaci was so surprised and exclaimed, "Oh my goodness gracious."

"Good morning to you, Jaci. I'm Sylvia Masters with KLFY and this is Bob Giles with Giles Automotive. We have a program called Pay It Forward and we do this every month, and we meet somebody random, and we ask them if they can think of someone to help financially but this one, we did a little different and we went up to Mrs. Debbie and asked her if she could think of a family in need and we're giving away a shopping spree at target for Christmas for your family."

Bob Giles added, "In this envelope, it's a little certificate which I'm going to pay it forward to Debbie and she's going to pay it forward to you so reach in there and open it up."

"Oh wow," exclaimed Noel after seeing the shopping spree amount.

We explained Bob Giles was donating $2,000 and Target was donating $500 to Jaci and her family. Jaci decided it was so much money that she wanted to help another family. Jaci wanted to share it with her friend, Gabby, and her three children.

The children picked out all kinds of toys and it was a Christmas to remember for these families.

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