Stephen Hawking’s Final Gift To Humanity Was To Feed The Homeless

Stephen Hawking, one of the greatest theoretical physicists to ever walk the Earth, passed away on March 14. However, that didn’t mean he could stop sharing gifts with the world — as he had through his books and works in his lifetime.

Thank you to the family of #StephenHawking for so generously supporting today’s @FoodCycleCamb lunch in his memory… pic.twitter.com/rStJimtVJ5

— Alex Collis (@AlexCollisCam) March 31, 2018

As a charitable final gift, Hawking’s family donated a generous, undisclosed amount of money to UK nonprofit FoodCycle in his name. Some of the money was used to put together an elaborate, three-course Easter lunch for nearly 50 homeless citizens the day before the massive holiday. It was also the same day Hawking’s funeral took place.

Flowers were placed around the table carrying cards noting that the lunch was taking place in Hawking’s name. According to the Cambridge News, a toast was also given to the physicist before everyone began eating.

We’re so grateful to the Hawking family for their generous donation so we could give our guests an extra special #Easter meal yesterday. We had a little cheer in honour of #StephenHawking before tucking in. #Cambridge #community #lovefoodhatewaste #alltogether pic.twitter.com/ali61X06iE

— FoodCycle Cambridge (@FoodCycleCamb) April 1, 2018

The Hawking family’s donation will also be used to feed hundreds more people in the future. This includes the homeless, refugees, long-term unemployed, and those suffering from mental health issues.

Foodcycle’s East of England regional manager Alex Collis told News18 that the donation, meal, and gesture were very in line with who Hawking was.

“It was a really kind gesture that I think fitted well with the sympathy Prof. Hawking felt for people who were having a tough time of things.”