So far, "Benny" has given away more than $55,000 since 2012, according to the Statesman Journal. The newspaper has been tracking the "Benny" bills for years.
"Whoever does this for people is truly amazing," Brittany Medina told Oregon Live. She burst into tears when she found a $100 bill in a can of baby formula just before Christmas, when she thought she wouldn't be able to afford gifts.
“He has blessed a lot of people,” said Medina.
The unsuspecting citizens who find the bills are often inspired to use the money to pay it forward.
A mystery philanthropist in Salem, Oregon dubbed 'Benny' has been leaving $100 bills all over the city for people to find. It has inspired hope, inspiration, and giving in people who have found the money.
Posted by Humankind on Wednesday, July 13, 2016
A series of photos shared by HumanKind shows some of the stories behind the "Benny" bills, and how people decided to spend their $100.
According to HumanKind, Connor Oertel found a $100 "Benny" bill at a Dollar Store in Oregon while shopping with a friend. They say they're going to pay it forward by buying toys and donating them to charity.
Another couple, who has been struggling with medical bills, found the $100 bill in a box of cereal. The unexpected money will help them pay down their debt.
A homeless couple who found a “Benny” bill used the cash toward a motel room for a few nights.
A group of sixth-graders found a “Benny” bill tucked into a spool of yarn that was donated to the knitting club.
And a boy found a “Benny” bill inside a Hot Wheels backpack at Walmart.
According to Oregon Live, the money usually ends up getting discovered by those who need it most. And more than half of the people who find the money end up using it to help others.
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