(hip hop music begins)
Ahmed Alwan thinks it's time
to give back even more than he usually does.
The Bronx, New York bodega worker,
known for his viral TikTok challenges.
Hey Medy I missed you man!
I missed you too! Did you get-
held a neighborhood give-back now that
school is back in session.
Book bags, school supplies, masks,
and snacks, gifted to the community.
This kid is really smart, very educated,
and he's always studying.
And so this is sponsored by
Blessing in the Backpack in Arizona.
Arizona gave me the masks and drinks and the stuff,
a lot of cases of drinks, Blessing in a Backpack.
I love them.
I think it's really cool
'cause usually around communities and areas like this,
you don't really see things like that.
And it's really cool that they're a small business
trying to help out the community and stuff.
I wanted to tear
because that's the first thing I said.
I'm very happy to see them doing
such a positive thing for the neighborhood.
What's 30 plus 30?
60.
CORRECT!
When we first met Ahmed last winter
here at Lucky Candy bodega,
days before New York's coronavirus lockdowns took effect,
he was riding high.
Even getting attention for his selfless deeds from former
president Barack Obama.
Oh my God. The last time you were here,
it was March 4th, 2020. - Yes.
Things changed a little bit since then, no? - Yes.
So have you seen anyone over the last year and a half
who has come in, who started with your challenge
back then and you seen a big improvement in their life
through the challenge, or maybe they said,
"Hey, you really helped me."
Or they keep coming back for the challenge because this is
the way they eat? Yes. So I do,
I definitely have a lot of customers that definitely come
back. And there's a couple of kids in here
with families that kind of like,
I did the challenge with them at least 20 times each,
because you know, they,
they come back for their food resources and everything.
I am motivating them to learn and they all come back like
"Yo Medy I know all this stuff!
I know this math, I know this, I know all my signs now!"
You know, they're like very educated. They come in they,
they love to learn.
They're full of like knowledge and stuff.
That's one thing I did.
64 plus 10 is 74. -[Ahmed] CORRECT!
There's a lot of kids all over here that come back to back
to pickup to do challenges.
Wow. My boy.
"Hey Medy, I ran out of supplies at the house.
So I ran out of food. Can we do a challenge?
I'd be like, yeah, no problem.
You know, and I love to do that. That's what I want.
I want my customers to be able to come back and say, yo,
I need this, let's do it again.
That's one of the kids right there.
Where's the cat?
The cat is somewhere over here.
She's always sleeping and very lazy. Let me find her.
That cat sleeps like it works.
Yeah, right?
(laughter) - She's always eating and sleeping.
Fluffy never did come back out.
I see you. You stepped up the stuff game in here.
Yeah. - You got like these big fancy headphones.
Uh-huh. - You got some speakers. - [Ahmed] Right.
Boom boxes. - Yeah.
Stepping up, get high-
Yeah I am trying to fill up the store
with more stuff as well,
but I want to be able to do even bigger giveaways.
All right man, thank you for coming bro.
What's the question? - [Ahmed] What's New York's nickname?
Uh, the Big Apple. - [Ahmed] Correct!
Ooh wow! Ooh I love you baby!
Grab whatever you want. I love you too!
I love you darlin'!
This time last year,
Ahmed was also footing the bill for everything,
a customer won from his own paycheck.
Are you still paying for stuff out of your pocket?
No, my dad is helping me as well.
Um, this stuff is all from Blessing in a Backpack.
I got the equipment though. My dad paid the school supplies,
like the books and everything.
I mean, I made money off TikTok, like, off views.
I got a little bit sponsored. I saved it up.
Talk to me about how you felt when you first learned your
son was a star on TikTok.
Well, I was, you know, so happy for him.
He was good. You know,
the beginning he started with his brother and that was good.
That was great for him.
Are you still charging him from his paycheck (laughter)
for the stuff that he gives away?
(chuckles) No, I pay all of that.
I pay all of that for him.
How does it feel to see the community come out and support
you the way they do?
Well, it's great. We know, we know the community.
We know everybody here. They are like a family.
And I told them, you know,
we spend a lot of money on it for him. Like he said,
I pay the most. (laughter)
Now that dad is bankrolling these giveaways,
I had to redo the challenge.
Stephanie. - Yes.
If you get this question right,
I'll give you five seconds to grab whatever you want.
Are you ready? - As I'll ever be.
All right, so if you buy a bike off me for
$54 and you give me a hundred dollars,
how much would your change be?
Oh my god. What, uh, 46? - [Ahmed] CORRECT!
(screaming)
Ahhh!
Make it slower. Make it slower.
Make it slower! Ahh! (laughter) Okay!
It's heavy! (laughter)
COVID is still real active. -[Ahmed] Yes it is.
(unintelligible)
Yeah. We did it, Joe. (laughter)
For all Ahmed has done and continues to do,
he still feels like it isn't enough.
I know right now I'm not really changing lives.
Why do you say that?
I feel like right now at the moment,
I'm just giving them stuff that is temporary,
but I want to be able to help people in the long run where
like, you know, they could continue to do, like,
after I do a challenge with them, they, they like,
they change their life completely.
But don't you think the kindness you're showing these kids
and these strangers is life changing?
Uh, kinda in a way, but I really want to change lives.
Like, like, like literally, like, you know.
What do you mean? Like give me a certain amount of money?
Give them a certain amount of money or a job where like,
now they're set for life. You know, they're working now.
They're supporting their self and their family.
Like I want my challenges to be, life-changing literally.
I know I'm motivating people and stuff, but it's still,
I feel like still not much, you know.
CHECK THAT OUT!
No way Medy thank you! I love you!
THAT'S ALL YOURS! - And it has candy?!
It has candy.
But first you gotta answer the question.
What's five times five? - 25. - [Ahmed] CORRECT!
That's all you! -All I have to say is, follow your dreams.
And thank you Medy. I love you. - I love you too.
Thank you for this opportunity.
I love you bro, you deserve it, man.
For Inside Edition Digital,
I'm Stephanie Officer. (guitar music concludes)