Minnesota's Jimmy Darts Raised $6M for Strangers in Need

When James Kellogg asks a stranger at Walmart to spot him a dollar, they have no idea they're about to receive thousands in return.

The 30-year-old from Walker, Minnesota has built a following of 28 million people across Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok by creating videos that turn small acts of kindness into major life changes. He's raised $6 million for hundreds of families facing impossible choices.

His approach is simple. Kellogg approaches someone at a laundromat or grocery store and asks for a small favor. When they help him, he surprises them with money raised through GoFundMe campaigns he shares with his massive audience.

The results come fast. A Nashville man received $50,000 for his son's leg surgery, with Vanderbilt University covering the remaining costs. One family facing homelessness and a brain tumor diagnosis woke up to $750,000 in donations overnight.

Kellogg grew up working at his dad's restaurant in Walker, a small tourist town on Leech Lake. He started making YouTube videos as a kid, beginning with pranks and stunts before shifting to what he calls "undercover kindness challenges."

His first random act of kindness video in 2020 got 50,000 views. A few months later, one hit 1 million. Now he works with the Vikings and Timberwolves, and even Rihanna has messaged him about collaborating.

On July 4th, 2026, CNN featured Kellogg on their Independence Eve broadcast celebrating America's 250th anniversary. Hosts Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen spotlighted his work, with Cooper asking how many people he's helped total.

"Hundreds of families," Kellogg said. "But really, it's not just me. I put the videos together, but it's the followers that donate."

Why This Inspires

What moves Kellogg most isn't the big numbers. It's watching people who are barely getting by choose to give anyway.

"People that are commenting and watching are getting so moved that even in their own struggle, they're giving," he said from his hometown overlooking Leech Lake. "Everybody's trying to help everybody."

Despite living in Orange County, California now, Kellogg still sees himself as the kid from Walker who might get put to work at his dad's restaurant. He doesn't film kindness videos in his hometown because everyone knows him, but he returns often to remember why he started.

His work has drawn some criticism as "poverty porn" that uses vulnerable people for views and ad revenue. But for the families who receive help when they need it most, the impact is undeniably real.

Kellogg's next mission takes him to Miami, where he'll surprise a family with World Cup tickets and continue proving that online platforms can be powerful tools for good.