96-year-old Veteran Helps Feed 1.6 million in Need Each Year.

As a boy, he remembered the help he and his family received during the Great Depression. So, when he and Verna started their backyard garden in Bronson in the 1990s, they began sharing the excess produce with neighbors in need.

“People came to help me and my mother and father during the depression, and I always felt I had a debt to pay,” Bill said. “As a little boy I learned how to help people.”

The simple act of sharing their abundance led to the founding of a large-scale non-profit organization, The Children's Table. The organization has grown to serve 10 counties and 90,000 families, and it helps feed approximately 1.6 million people annually.  

“I didn’t plan on starting the Children’s Table, it just reached the point that we were serving so many people that I thought it had to have an identity and a name,” Bill said.

Bill and Verna work alongside dedicated volunteers at The Children's Table food bank – all driven by the belief that no one should ever go hungry and that neighbors should help neighbors.  The organization serves areas with the greatest need: areas known as “food deserts” due to their lack of fresh food and accessible public transportation.

Each Monday, volunteers manage weekly food distribution operations at headquarters in Bronson. Volunteers manage the distribution of essential food and prepared meals to approximately 200 cars filled with families. The line of vehicles typically stretches half a mile down the road. Volunteers also manage distribution at several satellite locations throughout the month. A bus delivery route reaches people in rural areas.

In addition to filling the gap in fresh food access, the organization also offers disaster relief, community outreach, nutrition and gardening services.

The Children’s Table organization does not rely on outside funding but rather on donations from recipients. For a suggested donation of $10, each family receives $100 to $150 worth of groceries. However, volunteers never turn away anyone who cannot pay the suggested amount.

“I’m going to fill your car with just as much food if you’re able to give me a $10 donation, or if you don’t have it,” said Bill.

“We had made the move to the country, and we were in desperate need of food. And this was a great resource,” said Deborah Gooden. “Mr. Bill, he’s a ray of sunshine in the darkness.”

Deborah has proudly volunteered at the Children’s Table for four years. She sometimes brings her children with her, so they can learn the importance of neighbors help other neighbors.

“Helping is contagious,” Bill said. “I’m privileged when I can help someone.”

The Foundation for a Better Life and PassItOn believe that Bill Brown and his dedicated group of volunteers are heroes. Their commitment to serving those in need has resulted in empowered families and a stronger community. Their action is a great example of the value of Giving.