How I helped my community

1. How I helped my community Madison smiths act local project 2013

2. “It felt amazing to give back to the community” • For my Act Local Project, I chose to do a food drive for the Frisco Family Services. I heard about the Frisco Food Shelter from my Mom because she has volunteered there before. When my mom told me what the Frisco Food Pantry is and what its for, I felt so sad, but then very blessed with all I have. I cant imagine not having food on the table to eat or my parents worrying about how they could provide food to feed our family. When the Act Local Project was assigned, I knew what I would be doing my project on. I wanted to give back to these families, who are having a hard time. This project really opened my eyes to things I never really knew or thought of before. I am so thankful to have this opportunity. This project has forever changed me. My needs are now just my wants, and I want to keep on helping less fortunate families in anyway I can. It felt so amazing to give back to the Community and to know that I made a difference.

3. What is the Frisco food shelter? • The Frisco Food Pantry is one of several community programs offered through The Frisco Family Services • HISTORY OF FFS • Prior to 1995 there was no social service agency in Frisco to help families in crisis. Those in need, including many without dependable transportation, had to travel to Dallas or McKinney for any type of aid. A small group of concerned people in the community initiated Frisco's Project for the Future to address this growing community need. • The Frisco Family Food Pantry looks just like a grocery store. The isles are filled with food given by donations from the Community. Families that cannot afford to go to the grocery store, come and “shop” here to get food to feed their families…only they don’t have to pay. Without the Food Pantry these families would not have access to food to cook dinners, the same as our families do.

4. How did I do it, you asked? • I had to think of the best way to get donations for the Frisco Food Pantry and I decided the best way to reach the most people was through our Neighborhood website. • Everyone that lives in my neighborhood sees this site. Its kind of cool..its like a facebook, but only for people in our neighborhood. Below is the ad I posted: • Frisco Family Food Drive • 24 Oct • Tamra Townsend from The Lakes • Hello, 
My name is Madison Smith. I am a resident of The Lakes community and a 5th grader at Thomas O. Hicks Elementary. This year we are participating in the Community Local Project which allows each student to choose a task that gives back to the community. I have chosen to help the Frisco Food Pantry/Frisco Family Services (FFS) with a neighborhood-wide food drive. This is where I can use your help. 
I am asking for each resident to please place whatever items they can spare including non-perishable foods, supplies, baby products, etc. on their front porch the morning of November 3d. I will begin collecting at 10:00am. If you are interested in donating to this wonderful cause and helping out our Frisco residents in need, please send me a private message with your address and I will make sure to come by, get your donations and deliver them to FFS. You may also text message my Mom, Tamra @ 214-773-7599 *attached is a listing of the items in high demand 
Thanks for helping me, help others, 
Madison Smith • From this post, several neighbors generously donated items and me and my Mom went around our Neighborhood to pick them up. From there, we went to the Food Pantry and dropped off all the donations. We had so many, it barely all fit in the car!!!!

5. This is me with a Volunteer. He was so thankful and also helpful! He helped us unload the car and get the donations inside

6. WANT TO KNOW MORE? I DID…SO I ASKED, AND THIS IS WHAT I LEARNED! • I knew I was helping families…and I knew what I was helping them with. But, I wanted to know more so these are a few questions I asked…and the answers I received! • How many people does the Frisco Family Pantry benefit? About 350 families! Wow….thats about 1000 people! • Does the Frisco Food Pantry only service families that live in Frisco? They serve anyone within Frisco ISD footprint, this also includes some families in Little Elm, McKinney, and Plano. • What percentage of donations come from individuals, such as me? About 35-40% The other 60-65% comes from grocery stores in Frisco (Target, Market Street and Kroger) and churches and schools…like Hicks! • What is your busiest time of year? The end of October- Christmas. 105,000 pounds of food was donated last month alone (That will help these families have wonderful holiday dinners)! The day I dropped off my donation, 1028 pounds of food was donated, including mine! That same day 4669 pounds of food was distributed!

7. ARE YOU AS TOUCHED BY THIS ORGANZATION AS I AM???? You can donate more than food….you can also donate your time! I plan to do so myself! If you are 11 years old of older, you can volunteer with a parent! This includes stocking the shelves, taking off all expired products and helping These families shop! I bet one smile of a kid, like us…could really make a difference to someone that walks in there feeling down! Also…I thought this was really cool and plan to do it! Why don’t you join me? Frisco Family Services has seasonal volunteer events…for kids around the Holiday. Here are a few of the things they have coming up:

8. Thanksgiving Meal Box Program: Thank you for participating in the 2013 Thanksgiving Program. Frisco Family Service’s goal for this program is to provide families in need or in crisis everything to prepare a special Thanksgiving meal as well as spend quality time together. There are many ways your business/ group/organization can support this program. 1. Donate completed Thanksgiving Meal Boxes. (Empty boxes will be provided by FFS beginning October 28th). 2. Make a financial contribution or donate grocery store gift cards. These can be used to purchase turkeys, milk, butter, and eggs, bacon, and orange juice. 3. Donate Tom Thumb Community Bucks or free turkey coupons from your local grocery store. 4. Collect other items needed for the Food Pantry. Everyone deserves to have a good Thanksgiving Dinner with their family! This year I will be extra Thankful when I sit around the dinner table on Thanksgiving with mine!!!

9. This one is really, really cool! • FFS hosts a Holiday Store every year that lets those less fortunate still have a way to get gifts for their loved ones! • Told you…..its really, really cool! • Here is what it is, how it works, and how YOU can help make a difference in your neighbors Holiday! • The 2013 FFS Holiday Store Program which enables our families to shop for their own holiday gifts for each member of the family at no charge. Providing nearly 700 individuals with gifts last year, it is only with your help that we can make a difference in the lives of • families and seniors in need or in crisis, while making their holidays a little brighter. • There are several ways you or your group/organization can help! • Who can become a sponsor? • Any group, company, organization or individual willing to donate a gift can become a sponsor. • How does the program work? • Once you have decided to become a sponsor for a child, teen, parent, or senior, complete the enclosed form indicating how you would like to participate and return by the deadline - November 22nd. If you would like to fulfill holiday wishes, indicate the number of ornaments you would like to receive. Each one of our gift "ornaments" represents a single new and unused gift for either a child, a teen, a parent, or a senior. As soon as we receive your sponsorship form, we will provide you with the requested number of gift ornaments. • What other options are there for a sponsor? • Make a financial contribution to FFS in support of the program. • Provide gift cards/certificates, new clothes and new toys for children of all ages • or gifts for teens, parents and seniors. • Fill a stocking with goodies such as candy, toothbrush, toothpaste, chapstick, coloring books, stickers, • games, etc... for a child, teen, or senior. Stockings donated by the Frisco Quilt Guild will be provided. • Host a Holiday Drive for specific items such as teen gifts, new coats, gloves, hats, household items, etc. • Donate wrapping paper/bows/gift tags for the families to wrap their gifts. • Participate in the Christmas Tree decorating contest to be held on Wednesday, Dec. 11th. Artificial tree • (6 ft.) and decorations will be provided by participating group. Judging will be at 5 p.m. Families will be entered in a drawing to win one of the trees.

10. Thank you for allowing me to help others! • What started as a school project, ended as a life lesson and an experience I will never forget. In doing this, I learned that helping a little, goes a long way! I learned there are families out there that need my help. I learned that there are SEVERAL ways to make a difference in so many lives with just this one organization alone! I learned that the people I helped, are people just like you and I. They are not homeless, they just have run into bad luck. Maybe they lost their job, maybe they got sick and had a lot of medical fee. Regardless, they are people with families, kids, and animals, trying to do the best they can! Nothing is wrong with getting help, but everything is wrong with not offering help! • There is no reason not to take the time and help others in need because one day, it may be someone in my/our family(ies) needing a little help! Madison Smith- Act Local Community Project 2013