an entrepreneur picture in your mind someone that you know who started their
someone that you know who started their
someone that you know who started their own business what did they look like
own business what did they look like
own business what did they look like what are they wearing how old are they
what are they wearing how old are they
what are they wearing how old are they do they look like this or this or this I
do they look like this or this or this I
do they look like this or this or this I never dreamed in my entire life that I
never dreamed in my entire life that I
never dreamed in my entire life that I would start my own business in fact it
would start my own business in fact it
would start my own business in fact it was the last thing on my mind
was the last thing on my mind
was the last thing on my mind I went kicking and screaming completely
I went kicking and screaming completely
I went kicking and screaming completely against it for the entire year of 2008
completely against it I also never
completely against it I also never dreamed that my life’s work would focus
dreamed that my life’s work would focus
dreamed that my life’s work would focus on combating suburban poverty but let me
on combating suburban poverty but let me
on combating suburban poverty but let me step back on March 3rd of 2007 I said a
step back on March 3rd of 2007 I said a
step back on March 3rd of 2007 I said a prayer God light my heart on fire in a
prayer God light my heart on fire in a
prayer God light my heart on fire in a whole new way eleven days later I
whole new way eleven days later I
whole new way eleven days later I learned that there were children facing
learned that there were children facing
learned that there were children facing poverty in my suburban town that’s right
poverty in my suburban town that’s right
poverty in my suburban town that’s right suburban town but how many so I made a
suburban town but how many so I made a
suburban town but how many so I made a phone call I asked a single question how
phone call I asked a single question how
phone call I asked a single question how many children are getting a free or
many children are getting a free or
many children are getting a free or reduced lunch in our school district and
reduced lunch in our school district and
reduced lunch in our school district and I was told two thousand one hundred and
I was told two thousand one hundred and
I was told two thousand one hundred and fifty eight children my mind was blown I
fifty eight children my mind was blown I
fifty eight children my mind was blown I couldn’t believe it I was shocked how
couldn’t believe it I was shocked how
couldn’t believe it I was shocked how could this many children in my town
could this many children in my town
could this many children in my town where I lived and worked where my
where I lived and worked where my
where I lived and worked where my children went to school be in poverty
children went to school be in poverty
children went to school be in poverty and be hungry and I had never known that
and be hungry and I had never known that
and be hungry and I had never known that day I had a defining moment in my life I
day I had a defining moment in my life I
day I had a defining moment in my life I knew that I was called to love serve and
knew that I was called to love serve and
knew that I was called to love serve and feed those precious children body mind
feed those precious children body mind
feed those precious children body mind and spirit and to bring the community
and spirit and to bring the community
and spirit and to bring the community with me but I didn’t know very much
with me but I didn’t know very much
with me but I didn’t know very much about poverty so I started to learn and
about poverty so I started to learn and
about poverty so I started to learn and what I found was that there was an
what I found was that there was an
what I found was that there was an entire population shift in our country
entire population shift in our country
entire population shift in our country the people who were living in poverty in
the people who were living in poverty in
the people who were living in poverty in an urban City because of read
an urban City because of read
an urban City because of read gentrification were moving to the
gentrification were moving to the
gentrification were moving to the first-string suburbs
first-string suburbs
first-string suburbs I learned that poverty was moving and
I learned that poverty was moving and
I learned that poverty was moving and increasing in my town
increasing in my town
increasing in my town in March of 2007 I was Scott’s wife
in March of 2007 I was Scott’s wife
in March of 2007 I was Scott’s wife Lydia and Jared’s mom I worked at a
Lydia and Jared’s mom I worked at a
Lydia and Jared’s mom I worked at a local church I volunteered at a local
local church I volunteered at a local
local church I volunteered at a local school I had studied economics in
school I had studied economics in
school I had studied economics in college I had absolutely no business
college I had absolutely no business
college I had absolutely no business starting a free summer lunch program for
starting a free summer lunch program for
starting a free summer lunch program for children but I was obsessed and
children but I was obsessed and
children but I was obsessed and compelled to do just that
compelled to do just that
compelled to do just that I didn’t know how to do it so I just
I didn’t know how to do it so I just
I didn’t know how to do it so I just took one step at a time and I used my
took one step at a time and I used my
took one step at a time and I used my mouth to tell anyone who would listen to
mouth to tell anyone who would listen to
mouth to tell anyone who would listen to me there was a problem in our town and
me there was a problem in our town and
me there was a problem in our town and how they could help then on June 11th of
how they could help then on June 11th of
how they could help then on June 11th of 2007 I took a drive you see I had
2007 I took a drive you see I had
2007 I took a drive you see I had started a summer lunch program never
started a summer lunch program never
started a summer lunch program never having seen one
having seen one
having seen one I had volunteers coming food coming
I had volunteers coming food coming
I had volunteers coming food coming children coming but that drive took me
children coming but that drive took me
children coming but that drive took me over half an hour to go a really short
over half an hour to go a really short
over half an hour to go a really short distance because I didn’t want to go
distance because I didn’t want to go
distance because I didn’t want to go there
there
there I didn’t want to go there because I knew
I didn’t want to go there because I knew
I didn’t want to go there because I knew deep in my soul that I would go there
deep in my soul that I would go there
deep in my soul that I would go there and look into the faces of the children
and look into the faces of the children
and look into the faces of the children who came I knew that I would fall in
who came I knew that I would fall in
who came I knew that I would fall in love with them and that I would be
love with them and that I would be
love with them and that I would be wrecked and that my life would never be
wrecked and that my life would never be
wrecked and that my life would never be the same but I kept driving and I went
the same but I kept driving and I went
the same but I kept driving and I went to that lunch site that day and I looked
to that lunch site that day and I looked
to that lunch site that day and I looked into the faces of the children who came
into the faces of the children who came
into the faces of the children who came and the funny thing was I was completely
and the funny thing was I was completely
and the funny thing was I was completely right
right
right I felt wrecked I was falling in love
I felt wrecked I was falling in love
I felt wrecked I was falling in love with them and my life has never been the
with them and my life has never been the
with them and my life has never been the same and I thank God for that because it
same and I thank God for that because it
same and I thank God for that because it has been so much richer that summer as I
has been so much richer that summer as I
has been so much richer that summer as I was serving lunch to children I learned
was serving lunch to children I learned
was serving lunch to children I learned really quickly serving children lunch is
really quickly serving children lunch is
really quickly serving children lunch is easy its transactional that’s not hard
easy its transactional that’s not hard
easy its transactional that’s not hard but as I talked to the children and got
but as I talked to the children and got
but as I talked to the children and got to know them and learned about what
to know them and learned about what
to know them and learned about what their gifts and talents were learned
their gifts and talents were learned
their gifts and talents were learned what their challenges were their
what their challenges were their
what their challenges were their problems I started realizing that my
problems I started realizing that my
problems I started realizing that my calling was becoming more and more clear
calling was becoming more and more clear
calling was becoming more and more clear I learned and realized that
I learned and realized that
I learned and realized that the need there was something deeper and
the need there was something deeper and
the need there was something deeper and something that was more profound I
something that was more profound I
something that was more profound I started wondering could a child overcome
started wondering could a child overcome
started wondering could a child overcome poverty versus just live better in it
poverty versus just live better in it
poverty versus just live better in it and so I started learning about suburban
and so I started learning about suburban
and so I started learning about suburban poverty and how it was different I
poverty and how it was different I
poverty and how it was different I learned two really important things one
learned two really important things one
learned two really important things one the heavy handouts don’t help people out
the heavy handouts don’t help people out
the heavy handouts don’t help people out of poverty they’re really important in a
of poverty they’re really important in a
of poverty they’re really important in a time of crisis they’re vital they have
time of crisis they’re vital they have
time of crisis they’re vital they have to be done but over time over time they
to be done but over time over time they
to be done but over time over time they hurt people
hurt people
hurt people they break them and they create
they break them and they create
they break them and they create dependency I also learned that in
dependency I also learned that in
dependency I also learned that in suburban poverty that people were spread
suburban poverty that people were spread
suburban poverty that people were spread out in a larger geographic area with
out in a larger geographic area with
out in a larger geographic area with people of mixed socioeconomic status and
people of mixed socioeconomic status and
people of mixed socioeconomic status and that there were people who were had
that there were people who were had
that there were people who were had means in suburbia that they cared deeply
means in suburbia that they cared deeply
means in suburbia that they cared deeply I found that these people cared deeply
I found that these people cared deeply
I found that these people cared deeply about their neighbor and they really
about their neighbor and they really
about their neighbor and they really wanted to help
wanted to help
wanted to help they had means and they had time to do
they had means and they had time to do
they had means and they had time to do so I did learn that there were times
so I did learn that there were times
so I did learn that there were times they weren’t sure how to help in a way
they weren’t sure how to help in a way
they weren’t sure how to help in a way that was effective
that was effective
that was effective so all of these things were going on in
so all of these things were going on in
so all of these things were going on in my mind but I was really busy because at
my mind but I was really busy because at
my mind but I was really busy because at this point I was running multiple lunch
this point I was running multiple lunch
this point I was running multiple lunch sites with hundreds of children and
sites with hundreds of children and
sites with hundreds of children and hundreds of volunteers and then it
hundreds of volunteers and then it
hundreds of volunteers and then it started to I sort of have questions from
started to I sort of have questions from
started to I sort of have questions from parents they started saying to me what
parents they started saying to me what
parents they started saying to me what are you doing next they said to me that
are you doing next they said to me that
are you doing next they said to me that they knew education was the way out of
they knew education was the way out of
they knew education was the way out of poverty and that’s what they really
poverty and that’s what they really
poverty and that’s what they really wanted for their children but they
wanted for their children but they
wanted for their children but they explained to me how their children are
explained to me how their children are
explained to me how their children are falling behind in school every year
falling behind in school every year
falling behind in school every year because of the parents illiteracy lack
because of the parents illiteracy lack
because of the parents illiteracy lack of English or lack of technology in
of English or lack of technology in
of English or lack of technology in their homes the parents said could you
their homes the parents said could you
their homes the parents said could you help us with that so in 2009 I found
help us with that so in 2009 I found
help us with that so in 2009 I found myself starting my own business we named
myself starting my own business we named
myself starting my own business we named it serving our neighbors ministries or
it serving our neighbors ministries or
it serving our neighbors ministries or Son ministries for short a Christian
Son ministries for short a Christian
Son ministries for short a Christian nonprofit that partners with children
nonprofit that partners with children
nonprofit that partners with children and families in the suburban setting
and families in the suburban setting
and families in the suburban setting helping them take steps out of poverty
helping them take steps out of poverty
helping them take steps out of poverty and mobilizing the community to serve
and mobilizing the community to serve
and mobilizing the community to serve our neighbor then in 2012 I went to one
our neighbor then in 2012 I went to one
our neighbor then in 2012 I went to one of the lunch
of the lunch
of the lunch and I went there to see about 16
and I went there to see about 16
and I went there to see about 16 children who were getting into trouble
children who were getting into trouble
children who were getting into trouble and they hadn’t before
and they hadn’t before
and they hadn’t before and I said to them what’s wrong and they
and I said to them what’s wrong and they
and I said to them what’s wrong and they said to me I’m bored at summer camp Miss
said to me I’m bored at summer camp Miss
said to me I’m bored at summer camp Miss Kim and I said great
Kim and I said great
Kim and I said great I would dream catcher I love that answer
I would dream catcher I love that answer
I would dream catcher I love that answer why do you want to do together we have
why do you want to do together we have
why do you want to do together we have seven weeks let’s have fun I want you to
seven weeks let’s have fun I want you to
seven weeks let’s have fun I want you to dream really big what could we do here
dream really big what could we do here
dream really big what could we do here together and they stared at me like you
together and they stared at me like you
together and they stared at me like you are and then after a few minutes they
are and then after a few minutes they
are and then after a few minutes they started really believing that my
started really believing that my
started really believing that my question was a real question and they
question was a real question and they
question was a real question and they started to dream and they said what if
started to dream and they said what if
started to dream and they said what if we started a business what if that
we started a business what if that
we started a business what if that business was a restaurant why don’t we
business was a restaurant why don’t we
business was a restaurant why don’t we use our senior family recipes so that
use our senior family recipes so that
use our senior family recipes so that day the children and I made a deal I
day the children and I made a deal I
day the children and I made a deal I asked how long they thought it would
asked how long they thought it would
asked how long they thought it would take for them to start a restaurant they
take for them to start a restaurant they
take for them to start a restaurant they told me a week I said okay they said how
told me a week I said okay they said how
told me a week I said okay they said how about have you come back and bring us
about have you come back and bring us
about have you come back and bring us customers so I did I went away and on
customers so I did I went away and on
customers so I did I went away and on July 6th of 2012 I went back to that
July 6th of 2012 I went back to that
July 6th of 2012 I went back to that lunch site and I found those same 16
lunch site and I found those same 16
lunch site and I found those same 16 children that I had talked to the week
children that I had talked to the week
children that I had talked to the week before and they greeted me in the
before and they greeted me in the
before and they greeted me in the hallway and they welcomed me like this
hallway and they welcomed me like this
hallway and they welcomed me like this welcome miss Kim to Taco Bell Junior it
welcome miss Kim to Taco Bell Junior it
welcome miss Kim to Taco Bell Junior it was a Mexican restaurant and they took
was a Mexican restaurant and they took
was a Mexican restaurant and they took me into this room and in the room they
me into this room and in the room they
me into this room and in the room they had completely decorated every table
had completely decorated every table
had completely decorated every table there was music playing there was I mean
there was music playing there was I mean
there was music playing there was I mean every detail was attended to and the
every detail was attended to and the
every detail was attended to and the food was great it was really really good
food was great it was really really good
food was great it was really really good not just okay but great and the children
not just okay but great and the children
not just okay but great and the children have taught me so much I brought them
have taught me so much I brought them
have taught me so much I brought them hundreds of customers over the years
hundreds of customers over the years
hundreds of customers over the years customers like Cameron Mitchell and
customers like Cameron Mitchell and
customers like Cameron Mitchell and congressmen senators mayors
congressmen senators mayors
congressmen senators mayors superintendents BMW financial service
superintendents BMW financial service
superintendents BMW financial service employees lawyers hundreds of volunteers
employees lawyers hundreds of volunteers
employees lawyers hundreds of volunteers maybe some of you who have come and had
maybe some of you who have come and had
maybe some of you who have come and had a really great Mexican lunch but also
a really great Mexican lunch but also
a really great Mexican lunch but also have come to see the amazing gifts and
have come to see the amazing gifts and
have come to see the amazing gifts and talents of these precious children and
talents of these precious children and
talents of these precious children and to encourage them
to encourage them
to encourage them the children have taught me so much over
the children have taught me so much over
the children have taught me so much over the years they’ve taught me things like
the years they’ve taught me things like
the years they’ve taught me things like we as adults make work sound bad to
we as adults make work sound bad to
we as adults make work sound bad to children we say things like hurry up and
children we say things like hurry up and
children we say things like hurry up and get your work done then we’ll go have
get your work done then we’ll go have
get your work done then we’ll go have fun or we’ll say let me help you
fun or we’ll say let me help you
fun or we’ll say let me help you they don’t even need our help sometimes
they don’t even need our help sometimes
they don’t even need our help sometimes we in effect steal the joy of work from
we in effect steal the joy of work from
we in effect steal the joy of work from children the children have taught me
children the children have taught me
children the children have taught me that as adults we spend a tremendous
that as adults we spend a tremendous
that as adults we spend a tremendous amount of time at work we should like it
amount of time at work we should like it
amount of time at work we should like it they’ve also taught me that working and
they’ve also taught me that working and
they’ve also taught me that working and serving people is fun when I asked 16
serving people is fun when I asked 16
serving people is fun when I asked 16 children to dream really big anything
children to dream really big anything
children to dream really big anything they wanted to do at summer camp they
they wanted to do at summer camp they
they wanted to do at summer camp they didn’t ask me to take them to Disney
didn’t ask me to take them to Disney
didn’t ask me to take them to Disney World
World
World and they didn’t ask me to buy them a lot
and they didn’t ask me to buy them a lot
and they didn’t ask me to buy them a lot of stuff they wanted to in effect work
of stuff they wanted to in effect work
of stuff they wanted to in effect work and serve people they’ve also taught me
and serve people they’ve also taught me
and serve people they’ve also taught me that work is where we go to learn about
that work is where we go to learn about
that work is where we go to learn about our gifts and talents we learn how to
our gifts and talents we learn how to
our gifts and talents we learn how to work with other people we learn about
work with other people we learn about
work with other people we learn about what they’re good at how to enjoy each
what they’re good at how to enjoy each
what they’re good at how to enjoy each other so over the years this children
other so over the years this children
other so over the years this children started saying to me we dream of this
started saying to me we dream of this
started saying to me we dream of this going worldwide so we took them up on
going worldwide so we took them up on
going worldwide so we took them up on that offer and started Fanning the flame
that offer and started Fanning the flame
that offer and started Fanning the flame we wanted to see more children at more
we wanted to see more children at more
we wanted to see more children at more of our lunch sites having this great
of our lunch sites having this great
of our lunch sites having this great experience so we brought in CEOs
experience so we brought in CEOs
experience so we brought in CEOs partnered with Junior Achievement and we
partnered with Junior Achievement and we
partnered with Junior Achievement and we replicated that restaurant to two more
replicated that restaurant to two more
replicated that restaurant to two more lunch sites and it’s working this summer
lunch sites and it’s working this summer
lunch sites and it’s working this summer alone three elementary age children
alone three elementary age children
alone three elementary age children started to businesses outside of Camp
started to businesses outside of Camp
started to businesses outside of Camp real businesses can you believe it I
real businesses can you believe it I
real businesses can you believe it I forgot to tell you the children who were
forgot to tell you the children who were
forgot to tell you the children who were the 16 were fourth fifth and sixth
the 16 were fourth fifth and sixth
the 16 were fourth fifth and sixth graders did you picture them as older in
graders did you picture them as older in
graders did you picture them as older in our country there are 21 point four
our country there are 21 point four
our country there are 21 point four million children who get a free or
million children who get a free or
million children who get a free or reduced school lunch it’s the second
reduced school lunch it’s the second
reduced school lunch it’s the second biggest way that we deal with food and
biggest way that we deal with food and
biggest way that we deal with food and stability in this country right behind
stability in this country right behind
stability in this country right behind food stamps less than four million of
food stamps less than four million of
food stamps less than four million of those children get a free summer lunch
those children get a free summer lunch
those children get a free summer lunch that leaves 17 million children with
that leaves 17 million children with
that leaves 17 million children with faces and names who are food in stable
faces and names who are food in stable
faces and names who are food in stable in the summer time in
in the summer time in
in the summer time in this country our summer camp is changing
this country our summer camp is changing
this country our summer camp is changing the trajectory of thousands of
the trajectory of thousands of
the trajectory of thousands of children’s lives what if it were
children’s lives what if it were
children’s lives what if it were changing the lives of millions of
changing the lives of millions of
changing the lives of millions of children and what about you do you know
children and what about you do you know
children and what about you do you know how many children are in poverty in your
how many children are in poverty in your
how many children are in poverty in your town because I guarantee there are
town because I guarantee there are
town because I guarantee there are children in poverty in your town have
children in poverty in your town have
children in poverty in your town have you ever asked do you care about if they
you ever asked do you care about if they
you ever asked do you care about if they have a place to go in the summer if they
have a place to go in the summer if they
have a place to go in the summer if they get hungry do you think you could do
get hungry do you think you could do
get hungry do you think you could do anything about that imagine if you will
anything about that imagine if you will
anything about that imagine if you will what if every community across our
what if every community across our
what if every community across our country had free summer lunch programs
country had free summer lunch programs
country had free summer lunch programs that were challenging children to
that were challenging children to
that were challenging children to overcome poverty through
overcome poverty through
overcome poverty through entrepreneurship what if we were
entrepreneurship what if we were
entrepreneurship what if we were teaching children how to run their own
teaching children how to run their own
teaching children how to run their own businesses while we were serving them a
businesses while we were serving them a
businesses while we were serving them a free lunch because they were hungry
free lunch because they were hungry
free lunch because they were hungry imagine with me a generation of children
imagine with me a generation of children
imagine with me a generation of children being raised up nourished creative
being raised up nourished creative
being raised up nourished creative enterprise thinking children with
enterprise thinking children with
enterprise thinking children with amazing gifts and talents who are no
amazing gifts and talents who are no
amazing gifts and talents who are no longer being identified as poor or
longer being identified as poor or
longer being identified as poor or hungry mm-hmm but as entrepreneurs I’d
hungry mm-hmm but as entrepreneurs I’d
hungry mm-hmm but as entrepreneurs I’d like to introduce you to some children
like to introduce you to some children
like to introduce you to some children who deeply inspire me they’re the
who deeply inspire me they’re the
who deeply inspire me they’re the inventors of Taco Bell jr. stand friends
inventors of Taco Bell jr. stand friends
inventors of Taco Bell jr. stand friends please they’re going to be way too shy
please they’re going to be way too shy
please they’re going to be way too shy to stand
”
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