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Spice Box (Hill, G L, 1943) is my second favorite story (out of the hundred I've collected) for many, many reasons.

The main character, Martha is encouraged by reading an article called A Plea for Boys in a "religious paper," to cultivate a boy to keep him from becoming a good-for-nothing. She is pleasantly surprised when she becomes friends with a boy from her neighborhood.
Before meeting Ronald, she ate a lonely dinner of steak, roasted potato and strawberries. Then, she invited him over after school for gingerbread and whipped cream.
She takes in Janice one evening and fixes her soup, toast and tea. The next morning (people were much more trusting then) she made poached egg on toast, grapes and coffee. Another day, they had oatmeal, an omelette and orange juice.
She also helps a young family by letting the daddy renovate her house.

Matthew 25:40 The King will reply, "I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me." NIV