Pastors are absolutely crashing out after a massive social experiment exposed that many major churches weren’t willing to help a struggling mother find baby formula. Nikalie Monroe, who started the project with only about 300 followers, decided to test whether religious institutions would actually step up for people in need on TikTok. Monroe’s idea was incredibly simple: call a church, say she was a struggling mom who had run out of baby formula, and ask if they could offer assistance. This experiment came at a crucial time, specifically during a lengthy government shutdown that left millions of Americans wondering when they would next receive SNAP benefits. Unfortunately, this isn’t a heartfelt story about how charity was given freely. You see, it’s not uncommon for some in the US to argue that extensive social welfare programs aren’t necessary because churches will automatically fill that safety net role. Monroe’s work put that theory to the test, and frankly, the results are disappointing, as found by Daily Dot. Some churches don’t want to give charity to those in need She ultimately called over 40 religious establishments across the South, but the vast majority refused to help. Only nine organizations offered any form of assistance. This is awful for the reputation of churches that preach charity but fail to deliver when the phone rings. Among the organizations that failed to come through were massive names like Joel Osteen’s Houston megachurch and Charlie Kirk’s church, alongside several other Southern Christian establishments and a Mormon church. It seems the bigger the name, the less likely they were to actually help out. This woman is running her own social experiment. She's in the south calling various churches and asking if they could feed a starving baby. Here's a list of churches that said yes/no. The few that said yes include black churches, a Buddhist temple, and an Islamic center. pic.twitter.com/27JiMJ4HxX— Boston Smalls (@smalls2672) November 8, 2025 However, the nine organizations that stepped up offered a powerful contrast. The groups that immediately offered assistance included several Catholic churches, a historically Black church, an Islamic center, and even a Buddhist temple. This is what they should all be doing when someone is in need. One person noted that the Islamic Center didn’t even hesitate, asking right away which brand of formula was needed and where they could send it. That’s real action, not just talk (or faith through works). The social experiment gained so much traction that it had to be cut short when Monroe’s videos went wildly viral, making the churches aware of what she was doing. And boy, did some of those denied pastors get upset. Several pastors whose churches were exposed for turning her down didn’t just ignore the incident; they actually preached against her during their Sunday sermons. One pastor went so far as to claim that Monroe had committed a “dirty deed” and even suggested she has the “spirit of a witch.” That’s a truly unbelievable reaction to being exposed for not helping a baby. This same pastor was reportedly bragging about all the help his church has offered in the past, completely missing the point of the current test. The public reaction has been swift, with many people pointing out what they see as overwhelming hypocrisy. Given how many Christian churches have become deeply involved in politics during the Trump era, and considering the recent cuts to abortion rights, seeing them decline to help a mother in need feels like the rotted cherry on top of a long-festering mess. Those charitable organizations have been reporting a huge increase in donations. One Appalachian church, Heritage Hope Church of God, which immediately offered help, reported receiving over $75,000 for its food pantry since saying yes to Monroe. Their pastor was reportedly crying all week because of the unexpected influx of support, which is a wonderful outcome.