Girl, 5, donates 100 pounds of food to Memorial charity

Emma Ayoub

West Houston Assistance Ministries recently received a large donation of
food that a little girl asked her friends to contribute instead of giving
her a present for her fifth birthday.

Emma Ayoub told her family last month that rather than get birthday gifts,
she wanted to gather canned goods and other non-perishable food items to
help feed the needy. Having gathered more than 100 pounds of food, the Ayoub
family brought it to WHAM, which helps feed 25 to 35 people in an average
week.

WHAM spokesperson Beau Heyen finds Emma's generosity extraordinary and
touching.

"Usually young students provide food donations as a part of a church or
school food drive," Heyen says. "It's rare to see a young person, especially
a 5-year-old, actually give up their birthday for people they do not even
know."

For a single donation, Emma's will make a significant impact. "Approximately
100 pounds of food would last five days for seven people," Heyen estimates.

He adds that other kids Emma's age can do a lot to help others in their
communities. He suggests hosting a food drive through a school, church, or
other organization.

"The key ingredient is spreading the word about the food drive," Heyen adds.
"I have seen a child's voice carry much further than that of an adult."

For more information on WHAM, go here.