FOR FIVE YEARS, CHAMPALE ANDERSON HAS BEEN CARING FOR THE CHILDREN IN HER COMMUNITY IN HER OWN SPECIAL WAY.
By Breanna Edwards, Essence
A St. Louis mother of 6 has made it her mission for the past five years to feed hundreds of children in her neighborhood, offering what comforts she could.
CREDIT EVIE HEMPHILL | ST. LOUIS PUBLIC RADIO
However, recently, in a petition to give those who wanted a chance to help space to do so, Champale Anderson launched a GoFundMe campaign requesting $1,500 to support “Champ’s Teardrops”.
So far, over 2,000 donors have answered the call, raising a whopping $66,500 as of Tuesday at 12:30 ET for Anderson’s efforts.
As Fox2Now noted in an earlier report, Anderson, a health care provider and a mother of six, has been feeding kids out of her own pocket.
Anderson has an open-door policy on school days for kids in her community. Any kid who knocks on her door before and/or after school will get a snack bag for breakfast and/or lunch.
“I noticed the kids they are always hungry. They get off the bus and they take off running and they never know what I will have in the bag. I switch up and have special treats for my special babies,” Anderson told the news station.
The baggies can include peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, cookies, fruit, vegetables, juice, snacks and sometimes even a few special surprises for the kids.
“It makes me proud. My goal is to go to different neighborhoods and give out bags,” Anderson, who makes about 100 snack bags a day.
Of course, now that word has gotten out, Anderson is now making more than 100 baggies per day, she told St Louis Public Radio.
“People are so wonderful. I am so overwhelmed,” she told the radio station. “With all those donations, now I’m able to grow.”
Anderson revealed on the radio segment that she plans to set up different locations where kids can go and pick up their snack bags.
“I’m happy to get the help that I need for my babies because I’m going to keep this going, whether I have a GoFundMe page or not,” Anderson added.
This article originally appeared in Essence.
