5-Year-Old Girl Feeds Nearly 18,000 Hungry San Franciscans; What Can You Do? (VIDEO)

Little Phoebe, from San Francisco, California has a big heart. That's an understatement. Actually, her kindness and compassion is bigger than most grown ups I've crossed paths with while reporting TV news for nearly a decade.

It started off with a simple question by Phoebe, an adorable little girl with long brown locks, peach-colored cheeks and big doe eyes, like a character straight out of a Disney after-school special. After seeing a person holding a cardboard sign begging for food, Phoebe wondered, "Why does that man look so sad, and why is he holding a sign in the street?"

That question to her parents, during her daily ride to daycare, sparked an idea that has helped feed nearly 18,000 hungry San Franciscans.

A grown up conversation ensued. "What can we do to help?" asked Phoebe. Her parents told her about one possible place the hungry could go for help; The food bank.

Phoebe also asked Kathleen Albert, her teacher at "With Care Day Care," about the hunger problem. Albert explained that some people fall on hard times and don't have the basics like food and clothes. Phoebe replied, "I want to raise money for the San Francisco Food Bank to feed hungry people then," she said. Her ambitious goal was to raise $1,000, in two months. Why $1,000? No one knows; Phoebe couldn't even count denominations of money before the project.

"Phoebe focused on the smaller picture, and what she could do," her teacher explained. She decided to collect cans as a project to complete her mission. Phoebe knew that she could raise money by recycling cans, because her dad would bring her and her sister to trade cans for cash on the weekends.

Albert, a spunky, grey-haired woman, with big Coke-bottle round, purple rimmed glasses, who resembles a jovial, energetic, Sunday strip comic book caricature, admits, "Although, I immediately supported Phoebe's lofty goal, I thought, 'Caaaaans?' I didn't think a 5-year-old could possibly raise that much money in just two months time." And as adults sometimes are...She was wrong.

With a little bit of guidance from Albert and a whole lot of support from classmates, Phoebe wrote letters to 150 family, friends, alumni and neighbors. She received 50 responses. Word got around about the 5-year-old girl who wrote, "Dear Family and Friends... My charity project is to raise lots of money for the S.F. Food Bank. They need money. I am collecting soda cans. Would you please give me your soda cans and bring them to With Care... "Donations started pouring in... Friends, family and even anonymous donors dropped off cans, checks and cash at the colorful storybook-looking Victorian in a San Francisco neighborhood which houses Phoebe's day care. Phoebe's project, which had started with small donations of $5, $10, then $20 bills, grew exponentially. As, word spread, people started matching donations dollar for dollar. "I was getting cash in the mail, and I thought this is great, I'm getting money in my mailbox," Albert recalls. Albert's loud, one-two-three eyes-on-me classroom voice softens as she admits, "Does she understand it [the hunger problem] like you and I, no, but she understood something needed to be done. I learned something from her. And when you learn something from children, it's great!"

Phoebe responded personally to every donation, no matter how large or small. She would skip recess, instead counting money and writing thank-you notes to all who gave. "Little Phoebe was determined and never once complained," says Albert, "They looked at it as, 'it doesn't have to be big.' We talked about it in terms of Barack Obama...and how it was the little money and the little donations. So when people came to the door with one or two cans, people we didn't even know, she would say, oh, that's five cents, that's ten cents, that's fifteen cents. She understood, that you start off small, and you can make it bigger, bigger, bigger."

Fast forward two months.

Last June, all of the students at With Care, got dressed to the nines for a big celebration, complete with a ceiling full of colorful balloons, decorations and cake. Phoebe handed over the money and checks she collected in a handmade and hand-colored pencil box with flowers and stickers and colorful stars, to Paul Ash, the Executive Director of the San Francisco Food Bank. Phoebe's grand total: $3,736.30. How many hungry people will that amount feed? Just ask Phoebe, she'll tell you "Seventeen-thousand something." The exact amount, according to Ash, 17,800 hungry people will be fed, thanks to Phoebe's kindness, compassion and determination.

I heard about this story from Gayle Keck, San Francisco Food Bank media relations spokesperson, whom I met while on an assignment, reporting and field-producing for PBS's California Heartland, a statewide magazine show that focuses on the California's agriculture and how it affects Californians. Keck and I connected over stories surrounding the spirit of giving and volunteerism. I asked her to keep an eye out for a project I created after getting laid off of my full-time TV reporting job last December, 'Go Inspire Go' featuring inspiring stories through videos shared on YouTube, while using social media to create social change. So I was thrilled when Keck told me about this amazing little girl, who at that time had raised just over her goal of $1,000.

I thought, great, she raised more than what she had anticipated, so I was shocked, proud and inspired when I heard she raised nearly $4,000! Some people I shared this story with cried. Others told me they're moved to look within themselves to think about what they can do to better someone else's life or their community. While Phoebe does not fully comprehend the complicated problems of world hunger, she did know that seeing hungry people made her sad. So she did what she could, and the rest, well.... Oprah, are you listening?

Little Phoebe didn't just inspire the people whom she literally looks up to, she also inspires her fellow little eye-level friends, who also broke open their piggy banks and shared their allowance money to support their phenomenal little playmate.

I too, learned from Phoebe's story, I learned that you never can be too young or too old to make a difference. But if you're too apathetic or scared, no matter what age, you'll never create change or improve your life or the life of others.

The simple question I pose to you is, if a 5-year-old girl can feed thousands, WHAT CAN YOU DO? "Anything is possible" is a cliché. Except when it isn't.

Here are some suggestions to help the hungry:

1.) Research non-profits in and around your area. Food Banks and Food Pantries are a good start. Then make a donation: As Phoebe shows us, no amount is too small. Or donate canned food.

2.) Time is money, and sometimes, it's the intention that is worth its weight in gold. Volunteer at a non-profit that helps feed the hungry in your community or create your own. I've learned that you can make volunteering fun. How? Get your friends involved and bring them along, I'm sure the extra helping hands will be welcomed. Also think about your hobbies or skills you have that you can share with other organizations or service oriented groups.

3.) Think about your skills or resources around you and do as Phoebe did... and just ask! Start a project of your own, then ask for help, donations and volunteers.

That's what I did, I have ten years of TV reporting, producing, videography, editing and writing experience. Like many Americans, I too am deeply affected by the down economy. After being laid off from my day job as a TV reporter for a news station in San Francisco. I knew long before I met Phoebe that too often people like her and stories their stories are lost in the crush of bad news and celebrity misconduct that seems to dominate the modern news cycle. A chance conversation with a friend led to an idea, and one idea led to several others, and now, I am running a fledgling project and soon-to-be non-profit: www.GoInspireGo.com. This is the hub that connects viewers and readers to my YouTube Channel (Where we create inspiring videos with suggestions or links at the end of every story where people could go to help the person/people featured in the video.)

GO INSPIRE GO'S Goals:

The Mission: To set up a global platform for people to see and share inspirational stories.

(There's a link at the end of every story where people could go to help the person/people featured in the video)

The Vision: My hope is that everybody will be inspired to use their resources and talents to see what they can do to better someone's life or better their community.

I launched this website in March of 2009, with the thought that if I could just help one or two people through my expertise and skill set, then my mission would be accomplished. I didn't expect such a huge show of support around the world. I surely wasn't ready for the influx of e-mails, messages, comments and calls to come in: Viewers continue to connect with us from around the world (including: North and South America, Europe and Africa) to tell us they're doing to better someone else's life or improve their community. The people in the stories weren't the only ones who were greatly affected by the volunteers, I realized that volunteers who stepped also saw life through a completely different lens. It is truly amazing to see a huge shift in perspective in all of my volunteers, many of whom lost their jobs and and were so depressed, they would sit in the dark in their pajamas all day. Wow.

***

Inspiration in Action:

You can find out more about Toan Lam at http://www.goinspirego.com. Click on the YouTube link and check out the stories his team created, and videos created by viewers. Contact Toan at: [e-mail]

Comments

[Jay Lech-Lynas]

It’s nice to be reminded about our sense of community, which is easy to forget about when we are so consumed with our individual concerns. This story really puts life in perspective, and focuses on the big picture. What an inspiration. And in today’s time, it reminds us of “what we can do” for each other. I hope Phoebe gets her trophy; she deserves it. And I love the concept of goinspirego.com. It reminds us that good things are going on in the world and that we should find ways to encourage those acts and praise them. I’m glad that there is a forum for inspirational stories, which seems like has been lacking in our media daily diet lately. Hats off to all those involved and I can’t wait to see more of the GOOD things people are doing. I think people really need and want this. I have to mention that Toan Lam is the perfect guy to head this site because I know how much he tries to give of himself to others. He spent countless hours allowing me to work with him and shadow him as an intern, for no personal glory other than to just feel good about helping someone else pursue a livelihood. And now he has found the perfect way to utilize his altruistic personality for change on a much grander scale. This is exciting.

[suzannea]

This story is so beautiful and inspiring. Go Phoebe! I wrote about it on my blog:
http://bit.ly/zb6Mk

[Mariann Murr-ann]

This is such an inspiring story! To know someone so young, with such a big heart amazes me! I'm so glad you covered this story Toan! Keep on doing what you do! Love ya!

[AshleyL]

I still can't get over how many people Phoebe is inspiring, and continuing to inspire!
Since the day I met Phoebe, she made a change in me, and to spread that around the globe is so amazing. The donations to SF Food Bank are coming in from around the nation! Who knew!

Please remember, this is more than one 5-year old girl caring for the hungry. Here at Go Inspire Go, we're all about showing you the inspiration of one, in hopes to get you up and moving to continue the inspiration in your communities!

Don't forget to add us as friends on Facebook, Myspace, Twitter, Blogger to stay in the loop!

Thank you to everybody who has contributed to the inspiratio­n-sharing.­.. we are truly moved by the support.

~Ashley Lopez~
Go Inspire Go

[wringlet]

THIS is what journalism should aspire to be. None of this winking emails to adulterous governors to get the big interview. It takes effort to find news no one else is reporting and Toan Lam has done a fine job.

[wahtrain]

This is a very inspirational story! It just goes to show that we can all do something to help out and make this world a better place. Phoebe did it, anyone can do it! Thanks Toan for inspiring us with such a heartfelt story. Keep up with the great work!!

[TigersEye]

I love stories about empathetic children like this, this is so heartwarming.

I have to brag a bit: When my daughter was in sixth grade there was a poll asking all the kids if they could have anything what would they wish for. It was the usual game box, cell phone, whatever was "in at that time" eight years ago. My daughter was the only one who wrote "world peace". The school counselor called me to school so he could personally congratulate me on how I was raising my child. The funny thing is, I didn't talk about politics or world issues with her - maybe in passing but it was never big topics of conversation. I was proud of her then and I'm proud of her now, she's one of the most kindhearted people I am fortunate enough to know.

All of us as parents should do what we can to inspire our children to become adults who want to help their fellow men and women. This little girl gets a big virtual hug from me.

[star3]

Its children like this little girl and your daughter, that give us all hope for our future generation of leaders. Thanks for sharing.

[SFFoodBank]

Toan, thanks very much for sharing Phoebe's wonderful story! We are so grateful to Phoebe, her teacher and her family for all they've done to help the 150,000 people in San Francisco who face hunger every day. If anybody would like to know more about the San Francisco Food Bank and how we're able to provide $9 of food for every $1 donated, we invite them to visit our website - http://www.SFFoodBank.org. And, if they'd like make a donation and want Phoebe to receive credit, there's a special link on the homepage for the "Phoebe Fund." We think Phoebe deserves to know if her story encouraged other generous people to help!

[Toan Lam - Huffpost Blogger]

GO INSPIRE GO CHALLENGE!
For those of you asking how does Phoebe's $3,736.30 feed 17,800 people? Here's an e-mail from the SF Food Bank and the breakdown!
*Every $1 donated, SF FOOD Bank is able to distribute $9 of groceries to the community. We collect millions of pounds of food from growers, packers, processors, manufacturers, the USDA and grocery stores. We also purchase commodities, like rice and beans, in bulk and rely on our 12,000+ volunteers to re-pack them into 1-pound bags for distribution. And, our volunteers sort and re-pack produce, label cans and do other vital work that allows us to deliver food for a fraction of it's market price.
So, we are able to turn the $3,736.30 Phoebe raised into $33,626.70 worth of food - and we calculate that those groceries can provide about 17,971 meals. The $33,626.70 worth of food is distributed at our 200 neighborhood grocery pantries, to non-profits that provide hot-meal programs or deliver meals to shut-ins and even to schools for snack programs that enable children to learn better because they don't have empty stomachs. * -SF Food Bank

CHALLENGE: I encourage all of you to think *** WHAT CAN YOU DO?! (To make someone's life better?) Even if it's a nice gesture and random act of kindness... C'mon, I know you've got it in you. I invite you to Post a COMMENT here about what you did!***

GO GO GO... GO INSPIRE GO!

[Toan Lam - Huffpost Blogger]

Hi Go Inspire Go Friends...

Thought I'd share a little update with you on this story:
So far, According to the SF Food Bank, they've received $492 from 14 donors who have either gone in through the Phoebe Fund link on our homepage or made a donation in tribute to Phoebe!
Also, they’ve had donations from LA, MI, MA, SC, MN and other areas outside of CA, since our story went life here on the Huff!

So awesome! Way to go everyone and Phoebe!

xx
TL

[ryanquintana]

Phoebe is an inspiration to all of us. www.goinspirego.com is great... Can't wait to see more. Keep it coming Toan.

[goodnewsfan]

I agree with many of the comments already posted. Phoebe is truly inspiring and accomplishes exactly what Toan Lam is trying to do. I have children and I hope a story like this will help shape their perspective.. as well as us 'adults.' I hope a site like Toan's can get the support it needs to deliver the kind of stories we all say we want to see more of in a media saturated world.

[TigersEye]

It would be absolutely fantastic if this article was read by (or read to) grade school kids all over.

[klbrz]

Toan Lam,
Not only is the girl's story great to hear, but yours as well. Having the energy and optimism required to start such a venture after being laid off is quite inspiring. My impulse is to wish you good luck, but I think you have already taken care of that yourself. Thank you.

And to the earlier comment that she didn't really do much, it was all adults who helped her out, I would like to mention something. This little girl did what fundraisers across the country do everyday. She set a goal, she started with people she knew, asking them for whatever they could spare. When the donations came in, she wrote thank you letters. She put a lot of work into this project, just like any fundraiser would. What she did was motivate people to contribute. And, in so doing, she gets the credit - just like the grown up fundraisers who didn't literally come up with all the money themselves, but motivated others to give.

[Primerafik]

Thank you for sharing such a great story. Hopefully with stories like these, people will see the power of donating their time or money to different causes.

Fund raising: So easy, a five year old can do it.

Let hope people over five start to do it as well.

[litladyb]

this is a great piece that highlights the true altruism of young people. somewhere along the line, as we grow older, we lose this. priorities shift and we are bogged down with responsibilities. let's not forget our responsibility to each other. and, there can never be enough news of people doing good things to help others!!!

[Toan Lam - Huffpost Blogger]

Thank you everyone for the overwhelmingly inspiring emails, comments and phone calls. Wow!!!
Seems like Phoebe's story is reaching all corners of the world; Asia, Sweden, etc...

In our "inbox" we got a nice message from Phoebe's teacher, I wanted to share part of it with all of you. Thanks so much, GO GO GO please share the story and visit our website: www.GoInspireGo.com

I look forward to your stories, story suggestions and comments.
But for now:

"I can’t thank you enough for the incredible video story that you did about Phoebe Russell. It was a pleasure to meet you and Ashley and Kathryn, at the event with Paul Ash.

My phone rings constantly about what this special girl did – sharing the story via you has been great and I my heart thanks you over and over.

I want to make a contribution to “GO INSPIRE GO – where can I send a check and to whom should I address it?

Have a great day…"

With Care,
Kathleen Albert

In the spirit of Inspiration...
SEE YOU ON THE HUFF AND THE GO INSPIRE GO WEBSITE SOON! STAY TUNED...

xx
Toan