I recently noticed a social media post that caught my attention. A friend of mine posted these pictures about his daughter's desire to help those less fortunate.
This was posted to Facebook on January 27, 2019, just days before an Arctic blast was to hit the midwest. This sweet little girl's name is Ava, and she has attended multiple KindCraft events. For the past few years, she has attended the event we did in the winter where we partnered with Evolve Outreach and Uplift Organization to help them pack kits to help the homeless. To read more about these events, click here.
One of our goals at KindCraft is to expose children to all kinds of ways that they can give back to the community. I LOVE that Ava chose to do this same activity on her own with her family.
I also learned that Ava decided to go to Mill Creek park in Olathe, KS the following night, with her family, to help a group that serves those less fortunate in local parks. The group is called Free Hot Soup. Ava and her mom made protein balls to hand out and she told me they ran out of them really fast :) Ava told me that she met one "camper"-which is a person who lives in a tent and does not seek shelter or other means of housing. Many of the people they served that night were food insecure and not necessarily houseless. Ava enjoyed handing out baggies of protein balls and her stocking cap kits, even though it was very cold.
Ava was introduced to Free Hot Soup at a KindCraft event where we made sandwiches for their group to distribute. Click here to read more about this event. We are so proud of Ava for her efforts to help others on her own. She took what she learned at KindCraft events, and took it upon herself to help others!
Ava's parents are friends of mine, and I can tell you that THEY play the biggest role in Ava's desire to help others. Her dad is someone who is always willing to help. He has personally helped me move into a new house, taught me how to take care of our lawn better, and has walked us through many home improvement projects. Ava's mom is always bargain shopping for those in need and always has a kind word for others. When she sees a good sale, she purchases school supplies, hats, fleece for blankets, etc. for those in need. She is constantly on the lookout for opportunities to help others. I have no doubt in my mind that this rubs off on their daughters.
Modeling kindness, rather than just talking about it, is SO very important. KindCraft is here to help your children find an area of service they are passionate about. We are happy to plant the seed for giving, and provide families with opportunities and introduce them to new organizations they can help. But as you can see, the home is where kindness needs to be modeled the most. The payoff is SO worth it!!!
Ava, YOU, are making a difference in this world. Thank you for setting the example for other kiddos just like you!