Jenny Kantz, a Pennsylvania mother of three, couldn’t have predicted the moment. There she was, standing in line at a grocery store, bracing for a hefty bill—when out of nowhere, former President Donald Trump stepped forward and handed her $100 in cash. The surprise? Complete. The relief? Real.
“It just took me by surprise,” she shared, reflecting on the unexpected meet at Sprankles Grocery, a small spot in Kittanning owned by her cousin. As Jenny recalled, Trump’s team had prepped the visit, asking for someone to be at the checkout counter when he arrived—but no one had mentioned the cash gesture.
Pennsylvania mom given $100 by Trump says she’ll frame it, not spend it https://t.co/gi83eYL9On pic.twitter.com/Gx2UWtU8NZ
— New York Post (@nypost) September 24, 2024
Caught on video, Trump handed over the money with a grin, telling her, “It just went down 100 bucks.” And in that instant, the pinch of inflation—at least for this grocery trip—eased a bit.
The total cost? $194. And for people like Jenny and her family, rising prices have been hard to ignore. “I remember telling Bryant [her husband], ‘I don’t know how to even budget for groceries anymore… prices just keep going up, and up.’” A sentiment shared by many across the state, especially as Pennsylvania has seen the sharpest rise in grocery costs across the country—a jump of 8.2% according to recent reports.
Krantz family (Jennifer, son’s Brayden, Eddie, Frederick & husband Bryant)
They were stunned when as the clerk was scanning their groceries @realDonaldTrump gives them this $100 bill to help pay for them—she said with 3 boys grocery bills have been really tough the past 3 yrs pic.twitter.com/2ojQmIOcjR— ZitoSalena (@ZitoSalena) September 24, 2024
In her community, Jenny is not a single person. Many stay-at-home moms have taken up side gigs, trying to adapt to more homemade meals, and leaned into recipe swaps to make ends meet. As prices climb, every dollar counts— so an extra $100 at the checkout? That is not just surprising, not just effecting happiness, a rare kind of relief also.
And yet, Jenny isn’t planning to spend that $100 bill. Nope. She’s going to frame it. “I’ll keep it as a memory,” she laughed, the moment now etched into her family’s story.
I spoke with the #Pennsylvania mother of 3, Jenny Kantz who received $100 for @realDonaldTrump at a grocery store yesterday. #Trump #election #economy #groceryprices pic.twitter.com/oKABIRUBQA
— Mike Pache (@PacheLiveNOW) September 24, 2024
As Trump moves on to his next campaign event in Savannah, Georgia, where he is to speak on the economy and taxes, moments like this one carry some force to justify the issue. In Pennsylvania, a key battleground state, polls show a tight race. But for Jenny Kantz, this particular encounter with President Trump and a relief in grocery cost would not soon be forgotten.
Major Points
- Jenny Kantz, a Pennsylvania mother, was surprised when Donald Trump handed her $100 while she was in line at a grocery store.
- Trump’s team had prepared for the visit but did not mention that the former president would be offering cash to help with her grocery bill, which totaled $194.
- The encounter came at a time when rising grocery prices have strained many families in Pennsylvania, where food costs have risen by 8.2%.
- Like many others, Jenny has felt the financial pressure and had expressed concerns about budgeting for groceries amid inflation.
- Despite the relief, Jenny plans to frame the $100 bill as a memorable keepsake of the unexpected experience.
Al Santana
