Virginia Teen Donates 80,000 Pennies to Shelter After Dad Uses Them as Last Child Support Payment

A Virginia teenager has donated 80,000 pennies to a shelter after her estranged father dumped them on her mother's lawn as his last child support payment.

June 11, 2021

A Virginia teen’s estranged father handed over his last child support payment in the most outrageous way, by dumping 80,000 pennies on the teen’s and her mother’s front lawn.

WTVR reports that Avery Sanford has now donated that money—which amounts to $800—to Safe Harbor, a shelter for people who have endured domestic violence, sexual violence, or human trafficking. “Turning around and donating that money to moms and children in need, I feel like that really turns this situation into a positive one,” she told the news outlet. “You can learn a lesson from it.”

Even though Sanford doesn’t speak to her father, she says what he did was deeply upsetting. “It’s not just my mom he’s trying to embarrass,” she told the outlet of her father, who she says she has not spoken to in years. “It’s also me and my sister and it’s upsetting that he didn’t consider that before he did this.”

Sanford, who just turned 18, is a senior in high school and is set to attend college in the fall. She explained that she was in class when it happened, adding that he used a trailer, pulled up to her mother’s house, and unloaded the coins on the grass. The incident was caught on a home security camera. “My mom came out while it was happening and didn’t recognize him at first and she asked, ‘What are you dumping on my lawn?’” Sanford said. “And he said, ‘It’s your final child support payment,’ and that’s when she realized who it was.”

According to People, Sanford’s mother ended up filing a police report, though no charges were filed.

Sanford’s father told WTVR that his behavior was “the result of 18 years of built-up frustration.” He also said his “emotions got the best of him” and that was “the last thing he wanted to do was to put a further wedge between him and his daughter.”

Sanford said she isn’t interested in getting to know her father. “It’s really hurtful and damaging to your kids when you do things like that,” she explained. “It doesn’t matter if they’re young or an adult, the actions of your parents will always have some effect on you.