With all that’s going on in the world, it’s heartwarming to see acts of kindness, like those of eight-year-old Cayden Taipalus from Challenger Elementary in Howell, Michigan.

Cayden saw a friend denied a hot meal at school due to insufficient lunch funds and felt compelled to act. After consulting with his mother, Amber Melke-Peters, they created a fundraising webpage called “Pay It Forward: No Kid Goes Hungry.” Cayden sought donations from friends, family, and neighbors, and even started a recycling effort to raise money.

Since starting this initiative, Cayden has raised over $41,000, providing lunches for hundreds of students. His mission is to ensure no child goes without a hot lunch during the school day. Cayden’s mother expressed her pride: “I am so very proud of my son. He is only 8 years old, and to grasp the concept around this is just amazing in my eyes. He has a heart of gold.”

The fundraiser drew widespread praise, with one supporter commenting: “We contributed to this and think it is a wonderful project you chose to do. I hope that someone has nominated your project to the Make a Difference program. Cayden, you have truly made a difference.”

Watch the video below: