---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We took up a collection and sent a…"
description: "\"“We took up a collection and sent a telegram to the authorities of that town. The text of the message was that eighty-five healthy, hungry hoboes would..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/55d/jack-london-595_hobo_we-took-up-a-collection-and-sent-a-teleg_1440715.jpg"
---

#  We took up a collection and sent a telegram to the…

![“We took up a collection and sent a telegram to the authorities of that town. The text of the message was that eighty-five healthy, hungry hoboes would arrive about noon and that it would be a good idea to have dinner ready for them.” quote by Jack London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/55d/jack-london-595_hobo_we-took-up-a-collection-and-sent-a-teleg_1440715.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/55d/jack-london-595_hobo_we-took-up-a-collection-and-sent-a-teleg_1440715.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/55d/jack-london-595_hobo_we-took-up-a-collection-and-sent-a-teleg_1440715.jpg)

> ““We took up a collection and sent a telegram to the authorities of that town. The text of the message was that eighty-five healthy, hungry hoboes would arrive about noon and that it would be a good idea to have dinner ready for them.””

[Jack London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-london/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

A group organized a surprise dinner for hungry travelers, showing compassion through collective action.

**In simple terms:** People coordinated to feed the hungry.

Key Takeaway

Act together to help those in need.

Themes

compassion community solidarity action

Mood

empathetic inspirational

Type

social humanitarian

When to use this quote

- charitable events
- emergency aid
- community kitchens
- spontaneous generosity

Key Concepts

social responsibility humanitarianism

Questions to Reflect On

- What motivates spontaneous generosity?
- How can we turn ad‑hoc aid into lasting solutions?

A Different Perspective

Such actions can be unsustainable without systemic support.

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[Food](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/food/) [Hobo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hobo/) [Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/)

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