7-year-old Boy Helps Feed Hungry At Sioux Falls Nonprofit
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — A 7-year-old boy is helping a Sioux Falls nonprofit feed the hungry by collecting money, books and vegetables for local gardens.
Riley McKeown of Brandon got the idea to help out at The Banquet, which provides meals to hundreds of needy people each week, while doing volunteer work there several weeks ago, The Argus Leader ( ) reported. As of late July, he had raised $770, collected 250 books and procured dozens of vegetables, including 150 cucumbers.
He’s also working to raise awareness about hunger in the community and further The Banquet’s mission by posting about his efforts to help the nonprofit on Facebook.
“There are kids younger than me who don’t know whether they’re going to have anything to eat,” Ryley said. “The Banquet gives them food even though they can’t pay. I want to help.”
Riley signed up 24 volunteers to help serve breakfast at the nonprofit last month. His mother, Jen, said Riley does chores around the house in exchange for her help on Facebook.
“He repays me for his ’cause marketing’ by cleaning the bathrooms in our home and by watering my flowers every day,” she said. “He really wants to own this project and wanted to do the social media himself but I explained that 7-year-olds probably shouldn’t be given the reins to their own Facebook pages, but that he could repay my time by doing something for me.”
Riley, who has dubbed his project “Help the Hungry,” is among a handful of students at Hoover’s Martial Arts in Brandon who have taken on summer service projects. Instructors at the martial arts studio are encouraging students to volunteer throughout the summer instead of sitting on the couch and playing videogames.
Last summer, Riley started a project to pick up garbage along trials and paths. He has continued it this year, with a goal of cleaning up 100 miles.
“It makes me feel good and it’s the right thing to do,” Ryley said. “I’ve learned that no matter how small you are, you can still make a big difference.”
