With hunger on the rise due to the pandemic and unemployment in our communities, one child has taken on the challenge to fight hunger in her small community.
Audrey Mills, a sixth grader from Maud Middle School, received a school assignment in the fall of 2021 to come up with a project to help her community.
"Other people were doing Lego City stuff and I wanted to do something that really helped my community," she said.
With the help of her parents, Audrey started collecting food in a clear container that was attached to her mailbox. From there, the donations continued to pour from the community.
Audrey and her family decided to build a bigger box and get the city more involved. Audrey's mom, Paula, took the idea to the city council and explained how her daughter wanted to place a bigger box at the library in Maud, Texas. The Council agreed so, after Audrey got the approval of the librarian, Audrey's dad, Randall built a new donation box. The box's hue is Audrey's favorite color. A bright turquoise blue.
It was placed on the front lawn of the Maud Library on Jan. 29 with a sign that reads "The Maud Blessing Box. Take what you need, Leave what you can."
The community began filling it with donations shortly after its debut. Donations include non-perishable foods and canned goods, but also includes toiletries and dog food.
(For more information about The Maud Blessing Box, find them on Facebook or make a donation to the box located at 335 Houston Drive.)