A photo of a homeless woman breaking down in tears after being given a meal has touched the hearts of thousands online.
The photo was posted on Facebook by Carmen Mendez who bought the homeless woman a hot meal in her local fast food restaurant.
Mendez has said the woman was asking customers if she could have their leftover food, but was repeatedly ignored. So, she and her boyfriend, Fred D'Amelia, decided to buy the woman a meal of her own.
The gesture clearly overwhelmed the homeless woman, who hugged Mendez while tears ran down her cheeks.
"A couple of days ago we went to eat late at night at Raising Canes and as we waited for our order I saw this homeless lady walk in asking people [who] were throwing away their leftovers if she could have them," Mendez wrote on Facebook.
"Not one person said yes, they all ignored her and threw it away - it broke my heart."
Mendez has worked with homeless people in the past and felt compelled to help the woman.
"I told Fred if I see her before we are done eating I will give her my food. I looked for her as we were getting ready to leave and couldn't find her.
"I felt sad knowing all the rejection she had that night searching for a warm meal.
"As I was gonna throw away my one leftover chicken strip and like five fries I heard a very quiet voice ask me if I had anything left. I turned around and it was her.
"l gave her my food and watched her sit and eat it but something didn't feel right.
"I felt like a horrible human being feeding her my leftover chicken strip. She deserved so much more, so I bought her a whole meal."
Mendez asked staff in the restaurant to let the woman sit and eat her meal in peace.
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"She was getting ready to get up and leave when I surprised her with this meal. The look on her face said it all - I have never felt something like this, pure, real gratitude," Mendez added.
"That hug she gave me was like a hug I had never felt. Those tears she shed were felt deep in my heart.
"I held her tight and let her let it out. I wasn't repulsed by it....I just held her. And that is a moment I will never ever forget."
Mendez ended her Facebook post, which has been shared more than 97,000 times, by asking readers to show a little kindness next time they encounter a homeless person.
She wrote: "Next time you judge a homeless person think twice... not all of them are homeless because of a drug addiction or because they are lazy."
