ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — From the beach to spring training and amusement parks, there are plenty of fun things for families to do in the Tampa Bay area during spring break. But one option that sometimes gets overlooked can lead to a lifetime of fulfillment: volunteering at a non-profit.
Inside The Kind Mouse in St. Pete, more than 200 volunteers—many of them kids—stop by throughout the year to help feed other kids less fortunate throughout Pinellas County.
Fifteen-year-old Mia Prom and her mom, Anna Marie, have been volunteering together at The Kind Mouse for the past five years. They couldn’t think of a better way to spend spring break than feeding kids in need.
“This goes directly to the after-school programs, and believe it or not, we’ve actually fed children for the entirety of their elementary, middle, and high school careers,” said Mia.
Since there is no school during spring break, the amount of food needed has doubled. Without volunteers, they couldn’t do the work they do.
The volunteers, starting as young as age five, are learning from older kids who have come before them.
“What it means to have a kind heart, they aren’t just feeding tummies they are giving people hope, that’s what we need in this generation,” said Anna Marie.
The volunteers can often be found in an assembly line, filling bags with food and snacks to be dropped off to the kids in need. They call the bags "mouse nibbles," and over the course of a week, they will drop off more than 2,000 of them.
“One of my favorite parts is packing the bags because I know every bag I pack and tie will go to a kid who doesn’t have food,” said nine-year-old Arya Makani.
For Luciana Holliday and her daughter Mila, volunteering was also a way to gain friends and confidence in a new town. They just moved to St. Pete from Virginia.
“She thought The Kind Mouse would be good for me. She put me in there, and I’ve been there ever since,” said Mila.
“Spring break is a perfect time to do that, to come in and try to pack some food and label some food, and maybe you’ll be part of the leadership,” said Luciana.
The volunteers are also learning life skills, like public speaking, organization, and working together with others.
The volunteers hope other kids hear their story and are inspired to take a break from their spring break and give back to a local non-profit.
“It feels good because we are making a difference in the world feeding kids,” said Makani.
For more information on The Kind Mouse, go to www.kindmouse.org.
