Going With Go-Go Bags: A Child's Answer to Hunger

Zinai Feeds Angel Food Project Group

By JACKIE STINSON


When Za'Nia B. was only 9 years old, she was saddened as she watched homeless and hungry people on the streets with signs begging for food. But the turning point for her was watching a lady and her 2 children standing in front of a Food Lion store begging for food.

Za'Nia begged her mom for money to help them, saying she didn't need a snack that day. She was even sadder this particular day because she didn't know or understand that children often went hungry. Neither did she understand how people could be right outside the doors of a food store and still be hungry. As a foster child, she had faced challenges in her life at an early age. Za’Nia realized that day that she wanted to do whatever she could to make a difference and help the homeless and the hungry.

People weren't supposed to go hungry, especially not children. And so Za'Nia decided to do something about it. She created her own nonprofit organization and named it "Z Feeds Angel Food Project." Her mission is to feed and encourage the hungry and homeless everywhere but she especially wanted to assist the residents of the local women and children's shelter. Unfortunately, some of Za'Nia's family once lived in the shelter and this became a special place to her.

Zinai B.
Za'Nia's project prepares Go-Go bags which are gallon bags filled with food, drink, toiletries and reading material to encourage anyone who receives one of these special bags. Because of their size, they can easily be carried in book bags.

With "Z Feeds Angel Food Project" leading the way, Za'Nia packages and distributes Go-Go bags to the women and children's shelter and anyone else who needs food. In observance of the annual Global Youth Service Day in April 2018, armed with a grant from the Sodexo Foundation, Za'Nia packaged and delivered 300 Go-Go bags to the local women and children's shelter.

In addition to family and friends, she received packing and delivery assistance from PEN Pals, BE A Reader Book Club and Support Groups, Girl Scout Troops, BUDS of Promise, as well as Y's Missionary Groups of Greenville Memorial A.M.E. Zion Church.

This young lady is currently a 5th grade honor roll student at Winding Springs Elementary and a member of her school's competitive dance team. The team has placed first at the World Dance Championship in the Meadowlands, New Jersey for the past two years.

Three weeks ago, when leaving a dance competition at Ovens Auditorium, a young man approached Za'Nia and her family asking if they had a bag of potato chips he could eat because he was so hungry. She was extremely delighted because she was able to give this young man a Go-Go bag and for a while, she knew he wouldn't be hungry. She knew her project made a difference.

Za'Nia is a very active member of the Greenville Memorial A.M.E. Zion Church of Charlotte, where her pastor is Rev. Dr. Sheldon R. Shipman. She is a member of the Liturgical dance team, BUDS of Promise, Junior Usher Board, the New Beginnings Youth Choir, serves as an acolyte and the BE A Reader Book Club and Support Group.

To help fund her project, Za'Nia has received grants from the Disney Summer of Service, Dr. Jane Goodall Roots and Shoots program and the Sodexo Foundation to continue her work. Because of her efforts, Za'Nia has been featured in 2 commercials on the Disney channel.

We are so very proud of the work this little one is doing to be a blessing to others. Anyone interested in supporting this project may contact her organization at: zfeedsangelfood@yahoo.com.