My Nonprofit Reviews

Why we’ve done 2 food drives for the Food Equality Initiative within the last 6 months.

My daughter is my world and I would do anything to give her good health, happiness and normalcy... No child should have to settle for less. But when your world is rocked with anaphylactic food allergies and Celiac Disease, you learn very quickly that the word “normal” is no longer an option. I have worked very hard every day to ensure that my daughter never feels left out. Whatever her friends are eating, I will create a safe version. It might not be a perfect match, but I will do whatever I can to get as close as possible. But for all of those lopsided gluten free and nut free cake pops or warped versions of Olaf cupcakes, I am reminded every day that we are actually the lucky ones. We have the resources and ability to redefine the word “normal” when most do not. I knew I needed to raise a grateful child, one who would want to look out for her allergy friends and let them know they should not have to go without either.
Here is my daughters take on giving back…
My name is McKenna Rhodes and I am 8 years and 10 months old right now. The reason why I donate and have food drives for The Food Equality Initiative is because I know what it feels like to not be able to eat whatever I want. I am lucky that my parents and family can afford the food I need. If you go to the store and get food that I can’t eat, like cornbread, then it would be so much cheaper like $1.30. But, if you buy it gluten free, it would be more like $5.30 and you can see the difference. It’s so super expensive!! There is like a $4.00 difference. So, some people barely have the money to even afford cornbread, but if you go to FEI, you can get what you need to eat for free. So, I think that FEI is great because some people can’t afford that, but it has made a change in a bunch of people’s lives. I usually see regular food pantries needing peanut butter, but this place needs soy milk and the 8 most common food allergens like milk, eggs, dairy, wheat, and nuts. I know how hard it is to not be able to get to eat what all my friends are eating. Like, when my class won a competition, I had to eat something different and that made me feel left out. I know how hard that is, so I can only imagine how it would feel to not even be able to eat a safe version of what others are getting to eat. So, that is why FEI needs more donations so my friends never go hungry and never feel left out like we already do every day.
Love,
Tammy and McKenna Rhodes