#Ferguson: Natalie DuBose Meets the Generosity of Americans

There is a reason for good cheer in the beleaguered town of Ferguson, Missouri, this Thanksgiving, and it’s all due to the kindhearted spirit of the American people.

Remember this picture which emerged from the aftermath of the Ferguson riots this past week?

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Despair: Natalie DuBose reacts to the destruction of her bakery.

Who wouldn’t be moved by that picture and the story behind it? Natalie DuBose, a single mother of two, opened her shop “Natalie’s Cakes and More” in June, 2014, shortly before the shooting of Michael Brown, an event that turned Ferguson, Missouri, into Ground Zero for every racial tension in America. After that August event, the city erupted, and Natalie’s fledgling business suffered two weeks without a customer. Her business rallied, however, after exposure to her struggle by local St. Louis media drew attention and customers once again to her door. Things were looking up.

Then the grand jury that was charged with determining whether or not Officer Darren Wilson would be tried for shooting Michael Brown returned with their decision not to indict. All hell in Ferguson broke loose that Monday night.

Ms. DuBose pleaded with the looters and vandals, “Just don’t burn my shop down, don’t destroy it,” She told CNN, “If I can’t open my doors in the morning, I can’t feed my kids in the evening.”

Her pleas were to no avail. Rioters smashed one of her large windows and destroyed her baking equipment. The next day DuBose returned to her shop and boarded it up, unsure of how to fill her Thanksgiving orders.

Enter the hearts of the American people.

Two GoFundMe internet campaigns were set up by the community to help raise money for her to rebuild. Within hours her financial goals were met, and celebrities Patricia Heaton and Brandi Glanville encouraged their Twitter followers to spare a buck or two.

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