The Turning Point

Posted by FutureFortified Admin on December 20, 2012

A few years ago when my son was still in high school, I noticed his auto-replenish-via-mom’s-credit-card lunch account was being reloaded quite frequently. I knew my son was eating a lot to keep his lean, nearly 6’4” self satisfied and energized. But was he really eating that much at school?

After letting it go a few times, I finally decided to find out what was going on. My son had been known to splurge on the cafeteria’s cookies, ice cream, and mocha lattes in the past and I wanted to be sure he hadn’t fallen back into that same unhealthy eating pattern.

It turns out he wasn’t indulging. He was buying lunch for other kids, hungry kids. Kids with no money and no food from home. He couldn’t bear to eat while there were kids sitting so closely in the same school cafeteria with nothing.

By the end of our discussion, I had been relegated to humility and speechlessness. Then, my heart swelled with pride and I found myself inspired. Today I still feel awful about the preceding lecture on responsibility, junk food, and spending hard-earned money frivolously.

That day was a turning point for my family. My children and I made a commitment to care. To contribute. To share. Childhood hunger became more than just a blip on my radar. It became a life-changing priority.

My son is now 18 years old, attending Ohio State University and I couldn’t be more proud. I have no doubt he’ll always care about others who are less fortunate.

Kelli Nelson

Sweetness of Life & Motherhood 

Kelli is donating on behalf of her son, whose own generosity inspired and trasnformed her into the advocate for children’s health and nutrition she is today.