Shawano boy inspired to fight hunger

A TV commercial depicting the ordeal of a child who goes home after school to a house without food made Charles LaRock feel sad.

Then it got him thinking. Then it prompted him to take action.

The Shawano fourth-grader launched a food drive that raised boxes of food and other basic needs to help a local family that had fallen on hard times.

The effort was so successful that Charles did it again and helped another family.

Now, the spirit of the holiday season has filled the 10-year-old’s heart once more, as he embarks on another food drive that he hopes will generate enough donations to help two or more families enjoy full traditional feasts during the upcoming holidays.

“There will be more people without food,” Charles said. “I want to donate food to people who won’t have any.”

The youngster’s unusual display of generosity and selflessness has sparked others to rally around him, making his charitable efforts bigger and better.

Linda Tyler, a co-worker of Charles’ mother, was so touched that she wanted to show Charles some support and encouragement. For the current holiday drive, Tyler is filling one box of donations, and she has enlisted a friend to fill another box.

Tyler called it unusual nowadays to see a young child so willing to make sacrifices and help others.

“It helps get everybody in the Christmas spirit,” she said. “You don’t find a lot of kids who would go out of their way like that.”

It all began earlier this year when Charles was watching TV at home and saw a commercial about hunger. He told his mother he was saddened by the image of a child who found no food in the house.

His mother, Sadie Cornelius, said Charles then wondered out loud if children might be affected by hunger at his school, Olga Brener Intermediate School. From there, it was not long before he hatched the idea for his first food drive.

Cornelius and her boyfriend, Orlando Carter, both work hard to pay their bills and to keep food in their own cupboard, with five children at home, but mom agreed to help Charles organize a food drive — and to make some contributions herself — to encourage his charitable efforts and a valuable learning experience.

“It just went from there,” she said.

Once donations started coming in from supporters on Facebook and elsewhere, Cornelius reached out to officials at Olga Brener Intermediate School for help directing the proceeds to a family in need.

School social worker Jodi Guenther recalled that she was happy to assist. Noting that children often show strong instincts for wanting to help others, Guenther said it is important for parents and other adults to recognize such positive personality development — and to encourage it.

Guenther said she was impressed to see Charles pursue his food drive idea.

“It was awesome,” she said. “That’s a true act of kindness.”

Another food drive a short time later raised a bountiful blessing that ended up going to Elizabeth Spiering and her family. With seven children, Spiering and her husband were struggling to make ends meet.

The food drive donation from Charles and his supporters helped the family keep food on the table at a crucial time.

“It was a blessing,” Spiering said, adding: “It’s quite a surprise that it came from a good-hearted child.”

Charles hopes to continue organizing food drives after the holiday season. He even is starting to think about possible careers as an adult that would allow him to care for others.

His mother said she encourages his activism and looks forward to seeing more.

“I’m proud of him,” she said. “He doesn’t think about himself — he thinks about other people.”