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A childs gift
Six-year-old opts for donations to Manna House over birthday gifts
donation 3
Isabella Moon holds the gift bag she received from Manna House as thanks for her donation of food collected at her birthday party. Isabellas shirt says, Gods work. Our hands. - photo by Photo by Paul Floeckher

Sheila Moon learned early on how compassionate her daughter Isabella would be toward others.

When Isabella was not quite 2 years old, her mom recalled, she saw a television commercial for a relief effort to feed hungry children. Seeing the starving children’s sad faces made Isabella cry.

“She said, ‘No more hungry babies, Mama. My God doesn’t like that,’” Sheila said.

Isabella, who will turn 6 on Christmas Day, has maintained her giving spirit. For her birthday party this year, Isabella didn’t want presents; instead, she asked guests to bring non-perishable food items to be donated to Manna House Ministries.

“She has a huge heart,” Sheila said.

Because the Christmas season is so busy, Sheila said, she and her husband Christopher have Isabella’s birthday party at the beginning of December. Isabella’s friends took her request to heart and brought food for Manna House to distribute to local families in need.

Isabella and her mom delivered the food to Manna House last week. Isabella watched as volunteers weighed the items, which totaled 90 pounds of food.

“Today’s the best day of my life,” Isabella proclaimed.

Liz Quarterman, Manna House Ministries’ assistant director, presented Isabella with a certificate in honor of her “extraordinary compassion and giving spirit.”

Manna House also gave Isabella a few gifts. The presents were a token of appreciation for someone who thought only of others for her birthday party.

“We will never forget you,” Quarterman told Isabella. “I’m very proud of you.”

Isabella enthusiastically opened the gift bag and was happy to receive the presents. However, she seemed just as thrilled by the tour Quarterman gave her of Manna House.

She gleefully ran to her mother and exclaimed, “Mommy, I got to see the food pantry!”

Isabella might be a regular at Manna House in a few years. Director Lisa Bush encouraged her to start volunteering at the food pantry once she turns 12 years old.

“She said when she is bigger she wants to do that, but she also wants to own her own food pantry to help make sure nobody is hungry,” Bush said. “I said, ‘Maybe you can help run Manna House one day.’ She said that’s what she wanted to do, and she gave me a big smile.”

Isabella dreams of operating a food pantry that would focus on helping kids. That’s no surprise to her mom, who can’t forget the day her young daughter was moved to tears by a TV commercial requesting donations to help starving children.

“She would like to have her own pantry some day and it be all children’s food,” Sheila said. “And then she wants to put a book in each bag.”

Isabella already is soaking up information about running a food pantry. At Manna House, she asked, “Is your food for free?” Quarterman answered that it is, and explained that Manna House serves hundreds of Effingham families each month.

In all likelihood, Isabella will plan another food drive for her next birthday, or another occasion. And she and her mom will be back at Manna House to make another delivery.

“Most of the time we inspire our children to become something with prestige and honor that will bring them success and fortune,” Bush said. “Isabella’s mother encourages her to follow her dreams of helping those less fortunate.”