Recently, I helped share around 38 tons of food with people in need. Every box mattered to me—not just because it fed someone, but because I personally touched those packages, lifted them, and in many cases delivered them to homes when people couldn’t come to get them. My old Subaru has taken a beating on the rough roads; the suspension is gone. But I’m not complaining. I just want to keep going. My hope is simple: if each of us does even one thing for others, this world can be a kinder and better place.
We’ve transformed the first floor of the parsonage into a community center, making it an extension of the food pantry, with boxes stacked in the kitchen, hallways, and every available space. Through my roles at the First Universalist Church of Camp Hill and ACROSS (Alabama Center for Rural Organizing and Systemic Solutions), I’m able to connect closely with people in need—whether that means providing food, shelter, community gatherings, or simply being there for them in their most difficult moments.
I understand what it’s like to feel excluded and invisible, and I don’t want anyone else to bear that kind of pain alone. That’s why I do my best to meet people where they are, offering love and support without conditions. Many don’t have anyone else to talk to, and I know there are always people waiting for me simply because they need someone who will listen.
The problem I’m trying to solve is bigger than hunger or housing. At its core, it’s about belonging. Too many people feel they don’t have a place in their community. Through service, I want to help create spaces where people feel safe, valued, and connected.
What I get out of contributing is hope. Hope that by showing up, even in small ways, I can remind others that they matter. Hope that my work can spark someone else to take action. And hope that together, step by step, we can build the kind of world we all deserve.
We’ve transformed the first floor of the parsonage into a community center, making it an extension of the food pantry, with boxes stacked in the kitchen, hallways, and every available space. Through my roles at the First Universalist Church of Camp Hill and ACROSS (Alabama Center for Rural Organizing and Systemic Solutions), I’m able to connect closely with people in need—whether that means providing food, shelter, community gatherings, or simply being there for them in their most difficult moments.
I understand what it’s like to feel excluded and invisible, and I don’t want anyone else to bear that kind of pain alone. That’s why I do my best to meet people where they are, offering love and support without conditions. Many don’t have anyone else to talk to, and I know there are always people waiting for me simply because they need someone who will listen.
The problem I’m trying to solve is bigger than hunger or housing. At its core, it’s about belonging. Too many people feel they don’t have a place in their community. Through service, I want to help create spaces where people feel safe, valued, and connected.
What I get out of contributing is hope. Hope that by showing up, even in small ways, I can remind others that they matter. Hope that my work can spark someone else to take action. And hope that together, step by step, we can build the kind of world we all deserve.
