Thanks for being the change

It is unlikely many of us will change the world. It is unlikely we will be considered to have done great things by the world’s standard of success. We are not asked to be successful. We are asked to be faithful. Sometimes, the greatest thing we can do is the simple thing put before us. We cannot change the world, but we can “be the change.” One person at a time, each doing their part. That is how we change the world. One person, one child at a time.

Imagine the mother, who was at a loss, wondering how she was going to feed her children for the summer. Someone imagined being the change to help her with this simple and basic need for the summer. We were the change for her. Imagine her joy.

Imagine the grandparents, who were trying their best to care for their grandchildren, receiving help to feed their grandchildren. Imagine the children who were as excited over a lunch as many children are about their presents on Christmas morning. Imagine the boy waiting outside for us each day or the young girl, who dressed up each day and was sitting on a chair outside waiting for us. Imagine the child over Christmas break who lost weight now receiving two weeks of food delivered to his home.

Imagine the blessing the lunches were to the young mother, with four children of her own, who took in two of her family member’s children. She works two jobs and still struggles. We relieved a bit of her burden and let her know we care about her and the children. Imagine the blessing that was to her.

Imagine the children, who receive lunch in the summer seeing strangers show up daily to make sure they had lunch, when their own parents were not around caring for them. Imagine their smile when they received lunch and knew we would return tomorrow. Lisa, one of the volunteers, trained many of us to say, “see you tomorrow,” so they would learn to know we would be back the next day, and we were. Someone was always there the next day, every weekday. We were only sad we couldn’t also be there for them on the weekend.

Imagine the children who no one shows up daily for except our volunteers delivering lunches. We develop a relationship with our kids and they know we care. Hunger is their immediate need, but knowing someone cares about them is so important. We become their best friend in some cases.

Imagine being the child who is exited to receive food for Christmas.

Imagine having the crazy idea that we could send food home for the weekend for over 400 children a week going into the new school year, with no funding and no volunteers. A few people stepped out in faith and decided to “be the change” for a few children. Others soon joined them.

We started with zero new funding at the beginning of August 2016. We successfully completed the School Program 18/19 to 400 children each week and delivered two weeks of food to 942 children for Christmas Delivery 2018. At the end of Summer 2019 we were feeding almost 800 children daily in Clay County and spending $1,000 a day to get the job done. We had some amazing donors and volunteers who helped get the food delivered to the kids!

For Christmas 2019, we have a $10,000 grant from Duke Engery and a $4,500 grant from Vectren. We need an additional $22,000 from our community to make this possible, but we believe!

We have been told what we are doing is impossible. Yet, here we are doing it, because of you and our caring community.

Imagine the change you can be to one child by meeting the most basic need.

We believe in our community. Thank you for being the change.