Third grader is charity CEO for food donation drive
A Raleigh third grader's drive to supply food to hungry children has expanded to include nearly a dozen grocery store partners and scores of volunteers.
Posted — Updated"He's remarkable. He really is," said Kyle Abrams of the Inter-Faith Food Shuttle. "What he does is what we see adults and corporations and big groups are trying to do all the time."
Nine-year-old Will Winslow saw a need and worked to meet it alongside the professionals. "It is very much William's project and driven by Will and organized by him," Abrams said. "We had a conference call with Food Lion at their corporate office in Salisbury, and he is in on those calls. He answers the questions." Will's mom, Blythe Clifford, said finding a project he is passionate about has brought Will out of his shell. "He makes the sales pitch. He explains what he is doing and why he wants a T-shirt and how they should give him the T-shirt for his volunteers, and he negotiates the deal. It's really quite impressive actually to watch him," she said. Last year, the AB Combs Elementary School student raised 4,000 pounds of food and $7,000 for the food shuttle's Backpack Buddies program, which provides healthy, take-home meals for the weekends to students in need.This year, Will upped his goal to 5,000 pounds of food and $10,000.
His annual food drive will take place at area grocery stores on April 18. Volunteers between the ages of 3 and 80, recruited by Will, will encourage shoppers to buy specific items and donate them to Backpack Buddies.
"He's what you want your kid to grow up to be," Abrams said. "He's kind, fun and energetic. He has a great heart."
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