“I was dumbstruck,” said Kloer, who used to be a reporter at The Atlanta Journal Constitution.

He said he still has a job, so he paid it forward. He immediately donated $300 to the Atlanta Community Food Bank.

Janette Maas, a 61-year-old retired airline pilot, had finished her weekly shopping at a Maretta Kroger during the 7 a.m. seniors-only hour Wednesday and thought something was amiss because the self check-out lanes were closed. The cashier told her an anonymous donor had covered her $60 in groceries, and her receipt said "Atlanta Angel." "I got my Kroger fuel points," she said.

She later heard Perry was the donor, and said she was thinking of finding a Madea movie to watch later as thanks.

How much money Perry will end up shelling out is unclear, but it could be well in the six figures.

Perry over the weekend gave $21,000 —$500 each —

for 42 out-of-work servers at his favorite Houston’s restaurant off Northside Parkway near I-75.

Originally posted Wednesday, April 8, 2020 by RODNEY HO/rho@ajc.com on his AJC Radio & TV Talk blog