ABC7 Pay It Forward: Inglewood cafeteria worker honored by colleagues

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (KABC) -- Janice Nicholson works in the cafeteria at South Park Elementary in Inglewood, but her co-workers say she does a lot more than just serve the kids lunch.

"Kids will talk a lot and she'll find out that maybe they don't have a lot going on at home, so she puts that in her mind, and says, 'there's a child that I can help later on,'" said Gregory Deeb, a teacher at South Park Elementary.

Using her own money, Nicholson builds baskets to help out students in need. She includes extra food, clothes and around the holidays, gifts. She has been bringing smiles to kids' faces for decades.

Deeb thought it was about time someone "Pay It Forward."

"She's going to blow up. You'll see," Deeb said.

Nicholson's colleagues filled Deeb's classroom to be eyewitnesses to the big surprise.

"She does so much for the community, the children, the parents, the teachers. She needed to be honored," Deeb said. He then surprised her with the cash.

"This $500 is going to bless a kid for Christmas," Nicholson said.

Valley Urgent Care continued the giving, providing stacks of canned goods for Nicholson's baskets.

"We'd like to present you with the Valley Urgent Care, our first ever, Unsung Hero Award to Janice Nicholson," said Dr. Bardia Anvar of Valley Urgent Care.

The cash and award left Nicholson a bit embarrassed.

"I don't brag about what I do, I just do it," she said.

It was an emotional moment for Nicholson's colleagues.

"You are a guardian angel, because you do, because you watch out for all these children," said Sun Park, a teacher at South Park Elementary.