Recently, my daughter Addison decided that she wanted to hold a food drive for her sixth birthday.

I was hesitant because I wasn't sure where to start, but she was insistent about her dream to help others for her birthday.

We contacted the Fredericksburg Area Food Bank for help, and Dayna Klein responded with open arms. She was amazing. She helped put together a blog post and link that we could use to help spread the word. It truly helped bring Addison's dream to life.

Addison's food drive was a huge success for a kindergartner. With a full trunk and full heart, we delivered 300 pounds of food to the Food Bank and donated nearly $300 in funds for the Food4Kidz program.

We were overwhelmed by the response from family, friends, and the community. Addison learned that she has the power to make a change in the world, that her voice and ideas matter, and that it takes very little to make a big difference.

These are things she will carry with her forever.

We would like to give a huge "thank you" to the people who supported her food and fund drive, for the support, kind words, and donations.

We are blessed to live in a community that supports even the smallest resident's dreams. Thank you for fostering the gift of giving in my child's heart.

Lisa Mendoza Everett

Fredericksburg