Mother Panhandles to Pay for Daughter’s College Tuition

A mother is hitting the streets with a sign in hopes to pay for her youngest daughter's first year at Michigan State University.

The Battle Creek Enquirer reports that Lori Truex has been standing on that corner of a busy street corner holding a sign on a piece of black poster board that reads, "Help send a 4.0 kid to college."

Truex has been asking strangers for donations to help pay for her daughter, Kendall's first year at the esteemed university and looking to raise more than $24,000 in the next 79 days. The concerned mother has calculated that she would need about $305.72 a day to cover that tuition.

While it's a big amount to ask for, don't assume it's an easy task for the Michigan mother and her family to come by.

"It's out of my comfort zone, but I think this is a situation that more people are in, not just us," Truex said. "You do what have to do for your kids. Education is very important to us, and it's worth every penny."

Sharing with those who asked, Truex had paperwork on hand to prove she wasn't trying to pull a fast one on anybody and included her daughter's graduation photo, high school transcripts, Kellogg Community College transcripts, acceptance letter from MSU and financial aid letter.

She has even kept her employer identification card in a pocket in case anyone asked for ID.

All of the funds she hopes to collect will then be deposited accordingly into a savings account set up for her daughter at Omni Community Credit Union.

Truex calls her uncommon approach to raising money as, "One Mom, One Year," and asks if anyone wants to chip in, to contact her on Twitter at @1Mom1Year or visit her GoFundMe.

Her daughter graduated from high school in 2015 with a 4.015 grade point average and received an Academic Excellence Award, along with accepting a Legacy Scholars scholarship and enrolling at Kellogg Community College.

"I'm just really impressed with my mom," Kendall. "She's not really ever been the type to put herself out there like this. She is just such an inspiration to me always. I love my mom."

Truex has been a bus driver for 16 years, while her husband worked in a factory for 30 and live in a starter home with a mortgage. Her daughter works as a lifeguard. The last time one of their daughters went to college, the chapter burdened the family with more than $60,000 in debt. They hope to avoid a similar fate.

"I want to believe that people are good inside and that the city of Battle Creek believes in its children and their dreams and will support them in their educational goals," she said.

Photo credit: Twitter / @indystar