Not everyone is lucky enough to have everything they need in life when it comes to material stuff, and that’s why those who do should be generous and give back to the community.
This is the only way to build communities in which members will help one another, and they will do so without any second thoughts.
A teen in Port Allen, Louisiana, has grown up with the motto: “It’s a blessing to be a blessing to others”. And this is exactly what he’s been trying to do over the last few years.
Chase Neyland-Square has always had a heart for giving. He just can’t ignore people who need help- he has to find a way to help them.
And many a time he has been able to be a blessing for those in need.
Like when, a few years ago, he decided to host dinners for senior citizens, or when he set a goal to collect 200 socks for homeless community members and he ended up collecting 700.
In 2019, when Chase was an 8th-grader at Port Allen Middle School, his teachers asked the students for ideas on how to make their school a better place. That’s when he came up with an amazing idea.
He suggested they create “PAMS Pantry”. This actually stands for Port Allen Middle School Pantry, and it’s a closet where they collect and place clothing items for students in need.
Anyone can take anything- no questions asked.
“We really want the kids to feel like they have somewhere to go when they need something,” Principal Lessica Major told GMA. “We only have 215 kids so we’re able to get to know them really well…and try to help them where we can.”
Indeed, this pantry has helped many students over the years and it has been one of the best things the school has to offer. You see, there are students whose families face financial difficulties and they couldn’t even afford nice clothes for their graduation. But thanks to the pantry, they found them!
“I know that everybody doesn’t have things and I’m fortunate to have things that other people don’t have, and I look at it as sometimes, how would I feel in that situation?” Chase said to WAFB about assembling and working for the pantry.
And, although it started out as a clothes closet, it soon expanded to a pantry that has practically anything a student would need. And, indeed, many families couldn’t afford school supplies and this pantry literally saved them.
As for the future, Chase hopes to continue working on expanding and maintaining the pantry, while he also has plans to turn it into a non-profit organization.
“I’m going to come back and continue working on PAM’s country,” Neyland-Square said. “I’m hoping one day I can turn it into a non-profit organization.”
Until then, Chase will keep helping others in every way he can.
Watch the student talk about the heartwarming project in the video below!
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