Friends team up to lead food drive for residents in need
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Mary and Grace are shown with a poster they made to promote their effort. -
Mary Nix and Grace Smidt launched a drive to support community food pantries. They’re shown after a recent shopping trip to pick up items to donate. (Submitted photos)
Two friends are teaming up to take on hunger with a food drive.
On a family outing in Atlanta over the summer, 12-year-old Grace Smidt said she noticed some people on the roadside would approach them, asking for money. While it bothered her to see others in that condition, it inspired her to address those in need in her own community.
She called her friend, 11-year-old Mary Nix, to work together on a project. After researching options, the two reached out to The Bridge Church, where Grace attends, to assist with stocking food pantry shelves. They developed a speech and created a poster to help explain their plan and mission to their youth pastor.
“They had to put together a whole presentation about what they wanted to do,” says Darcy Nix, Mary’s mother. “They came up with everything by themselves.”
Their motto: “No one, nowhere, at no time, should go hungry.”
And it worked, with the church approving the proposal. The girls recorded a video announcement about the food drive that was played at the church.
Grace and Mary are collecting donations of money and items. The two recently completed their first shopping trip, buying food that will go the pantry at The Bridge. Darcy Nix says they hope to be able to fill shelves at other community food pantries.
The girls’ drive will continue into later this month or early October. Those wishing to give to the cause can make arrangements by emailing darcynix@icloud.com.