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80-year-old North Texas janitor can retire again thanks to $266K in community donations

By FOX 4 Staff
Published  February 24, 2023 9:53am EST
FOX 4

Students help raise money for school janitor who had to unretire due to rent hike

A GoFundMe for the janitor known as Mr. James has now raised more than $30,000.

CALLISBURG, Texas - An 80-year-old janitor in Cooke County will soon be able to retire again thanks to help from his community.

It took just nine days for people to raise $266,000 for the man known as Mr. James.

He works at Callisburg High School in the small city of Callisburg, which is about 75 miles north of Dallas.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Rent hike forced retired 80-year-old to take job as a janitor, now strangers have raised $28,000 for him

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Mr. James was forced to unretire in January because his rent spiked during the pandemic.

Three students heard their new janitor's story and decided to start the fundraising campaign with the title ‘Getting Mr. James out of this school.’

The teens set the original goal at $10,000, which it quickly surpassed.

Students talk about GoFundMe for 80-year-old retiree who took job as a janitor to make ends meet

Marti Yusko and Greyson Thurman at Callisburg High School started the GoFundMe for the man known to students as Mr. James. He had to return to work as a janitor after his rent was raised.

"Nobody deserves to work their whole life. They deserve to enjoy everything," said student Greyson Thurman, who posted the campaign.

The campaign officially ends Friday at noon.