LYNCHBURG, Va. – Britt LeCompte wants you to know how young he is.
"100 years young," he told 10 News reporter Magdala Louissaint.
LeCompte celebrated his 100th birthday this month. Instead of receiving gifts from his 200 friends and family, he challenged them.
For every $25 raised, he would match it and donate the money to Food for Thought, a program feeding hungry students in Lynchburg.
"All working together to see that they're not hungry when they're going to school is so important," LeCompte said.
Without hesitation the community came through.
"The final total is still not calculated, but we have raised just about $11,000 from Britt's generosity," Laura Bauer, founder and director of Food for Thought, said.
Food for Thought, a year-old backpack feeding program, sends students home with a bag filled with: breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks to feed them over the weekend.
The money donated will now feed 2,700 children in the Hill City.
"They didn't have a full stomach and now they will have a full stomach," LeCompte said.
Organizers with Food for Thought hope LeCompte's actions will inspire others to do the same.
"If more of us can join together and similarly be generous just think what we can do for this city," Bauer said.
LeCompte said 100 years ago his family found refuge in the U.S. after escaping Germany during WWI.
He says he wants to be remembered as the young fella who paid it forward and helped give children a start.
"As the old boy, young boy, 100 -year-old boy is making this effort go forward," LeCompte said.