Restaurant Owner's Reply to Dumpster Diver Is Praised

"It hurt me that someone had to do that." That was Ashley Jiron's reaction to realizing someone had been going through her recently opened Oklahoma eatery's trash in search of food. The owner of P.B. Jams tells KFOR that earlier this month while taking out the garbage she noticed some bags "were torn open and some of the food was taken out." Her reaction has gone viral and garnered widespread praise: Jiron posted two signs, one on the dumpster and one on the Warr Acres restaurant's front door. It reads:

• "To the person going through our trash for their next meal, You're a human being and worth more than a meal from a dumpster. Please come in during operating hours for a classic Pb&j, fresh veggies, and a cup of water at no charge. No questions asked. - Your friend, the owner"

"I think we've all been in that position where we needed someone's help," Jiron explains, and she speaks from experience. The 30-year-old tells ABC News that she's "struggled like a lot of single parents out there, and I've had to ask for state assistance" in the past. She says the signs will remain up "until they come in"—which hasn't happened yet—and she's determined: Her Facebook post explains that after the wind took down a laminated version, she arrived upon a solution: "30 strips of clear, yet durable, tape." The Oklahoman reports that she's taken things a step further based on an idea from her customers: The sandwich shop's "Share the Nuts" campaign allows diners to pre-pay for a meal and stick a paper peanut on the wall that someone in need can redeem. The comments on her Facebook post make for pretty awesome reading, or check out five more uplifting stories to grab headlines in April. (More uplifting news stories.)