Friends are often cherished as the family you choose. The heartwarming friendship between students living in Raymond Hall at Providence College, a Catholic college in Rhode Island, and the building’s security guard, James Mogaji, is no exception.
A group of students who have grown close with Mogaji discovered that the school employee had not returned to Nigeria to see his family in 11 years. This stunned the students and prompted them to take action. A freshman named Brandon Reichert initiated a GoFundMe campaign aptly titled “Help James Visit His Family!” with the assistance of sophomore Daniel Singh and other students. The online fundraiser surpassed its goal of $30,360, Mogaji’s story inspired a spirit of giving in others.
Reichert shared Mogaji’s story and a kind message regarding how much the students value his kind nature on GoFundMe:
“James is without a doubt the best security guard here at Providence College. He works four overnight shifts a week and the Raymond Hall 4th Floor would love to raise money for him to see his family in Nigeria that he hasn’t seen in a long time. For those of you that don’t know James, he truly is one of the nicest people you will ever meet. He greets everybody with a smile and always welcomes conversations no matter what time of the night you run into him. He has expressed how much he enjoys his job here at PC, and we would love to be able to allow him to visit his family. He does not know how much we appreciate him, and hope that this shows to him how much he means to our community. We hope that others will join in raising funds for James, as Raymond Hall and Providence College would be a completely different building without him. He has not seen his family in many years, and we believe that he is more than deserving to see his loved ones. Any amount of donation is appreciated, and 100% of the proceeds will be put towards travel expenses for James so he does not have to pay out of pocket.”
Students gathered together and filmed the moment Mogaji received this incredibly thoughtful gift. Upon receiving the money from Reichert and Singh, the beloved security guard crouched towards the ground in awe. Students in unison shouted, “We love you, James!” The thoughtfulness of this act of kindness truly speaks to the close bond that these students and Mogaji have formed. Reichert thanked everyone who donated and emphasized how impactful their generosity was in their quest to take care of someone who spends so many hours keeping an eye out for the students. This group of students took action to support somebody who is a significant factor in their time at Providence College. Taking initiative in such a way exhibits leadership and inspires a sense of hope.
In the video, Singh expressed, “We love you. You’re part of the family.” These words in conjunction with the incredible generosity of friends and strangers alike, reflect the true meaning of friendship. Leah Quinn, a friend of Reichert’s mom, took to social media to share her support. She stated, “This act of kindness shows us all that we are more alike than not.”
Students at Providence College in Rhode Island got together for a purely selfless act of kindness for their security guard, James Mogaji.
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When they learned about Mogaji’s story and how he hadn’t seen his family in Nigeria in 11 years, they set up a GoFundMe for him and spread the word on social media.
Calling all Providence College community members! Please join Raymond Hall and the rest of campus in sending James to be with his family in Nigeria! He hasn’t seen his family in 11 years. Any donation is appreciated!! @JordanZajacOP #pcbc
https://t.co/70dj8aqmUt #GoFundMe
— Brandon Reichert (@B_Reichert19) March 1, 2024
Amazingly, they reached their $30K goal! The students have since reported that Mogaji plans to take his trip to visit family in June.
Watch coverage of Raymond students who raised money to allow a security guard to visit family in Nigeria for the first time in more than 11 years. Thanks to Brandon Reichert ’27, Daniel Singh ’26, and the other students for their kind gesture!
More: https://t.co/5jJmyMdwXM pic.twitter.com/Wp6EthP9Lt
— Providence College (@ProvidenceCol) March 11, 2024
Take a glimpse at the moment students gifted Mogaji the funds:
@lkquinnco please stop and take the time to watch and share this amazing display of unrelenting kindness and humanity at its best. now time for MY BRAGGING- My best friend Jess Reichert son Brandon is the most incredibly kind, thoughtful and generous soul. (Apple doesn’t fall far from the tree) I am once again blown away by Brandon’s God Given gift of always doing the right thing and recognizing what is truly important in this world- LOVE and KINDNESS. Brandon started a Gofundme for his overnight security guard James at his dorm building at Providence College. James has been wanting to visit his family in Nigeria for a long time, and Brandon along with all of the amazing students on his floor at PC began to raise money for James to get him home. Today they presented him with the trip. This act of kindness shows us all, that we are more alike than not. Brandon’s ability to always do the right thing and lead, show compassion and gratitude has been a highlight of my life watching him grow up into the amazing young man he is. On that note, I want to give Jess Reichert all the respect in the world for raising this boy as a SINGLE MOTHER and shaping him to be everything he is. For the countless sacrifices she has and continues to make and the obstacles she endures to make sure he has every opportunity to continue on his path we all could learn from as parents. This is also your payoff Jessie, everything that boy is, is ALL because of you! I al so proud to be your friend! I love you both so much!!! Let’s keep this going with a share! @wcvb5 @wpri12 @therhodeshow @abc6providence @channelkindness @thekindnessrocksproject #belikeBrandon #providenceCollege #gofundme #goviral #pcfriars #kindnessmatters ♬ original sound – Leah Quinn
Brandon Reichert: GoFundMe | X
h/t: [GOOD]
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