Atlanta, GA — Filmmaker, actor, and playwright Tyler Perry is once again making headlines for helping those who are largely affected by the coronavirus pandemic. Under the name “Atlanta Angel,” he reportedly paid for the groceries of all elderly shoppers at over 70 supermarkets in Atlanta and New Orleans.The 50-year old entertainment tycoon, who grew up in New Orleans and now currently lives in Atlanta, purchased the groceries for seniors at 44 Kroger stores in Atlanta and 29 Winn-Dixie stores in New Orleans. The receipts for those groceries showed that it was paid for by “Atlanta Angel.”
The elderly shoppers who benefitted from Perry’s generosity are those who were shopping during the reserved hour for them. Grocery stores have been advised to block off the first one or two hours of their business day so the elderly and immunocompromised people can shop with lesser risk to contract the coronavirus.
Meanwhile, Kroger’s Atlanta division expressed their gratitude to Perry. “We would like to join our customers in thanking Mr. Perry for his kindness and generosity during this unprecedented pandemic. It was truly a pleasure to see our customers fill with joy and gratitude as the news spread throughout 44 stores across Metro Atlanta,” its manager of corporate affairs Felix Turner said in a statement.
Winn-Dixie also thanked Perry for “paying it forward by purchasing groceries for elderly and high-risk [Winn-Dixie] customers shopping at Louisiana stores this morning. Winn-Dixie applauds your love for community and sincere generosity,” the company said in a tweet.
It was not the first time Perry discreetly helped other people during the coronavirus pandemic. Last week, Perry gave a $500 tip to each of the 42 workers who were laid off at his favorite restaurant – a grand total of $21,000.