There are big hearts in Brooksville, and that's evident at Operation Heart F.E.L.T., a community nonprofit.
F.E.L.T. is an acronym that stands for Feeding Every Little Tummy. Their mission? Combat childhood hunger.
The organization feeds approximately 700 kids a week during the school year who are facing food insecurity.
The group discreetly provides bags of food to students every week, ensuring they have meals over the weekend when the cafeterias are closed.
For Kevin Laielli, this mission is personal. He's now the chairman of the board, but as a child, he also experienced food insecurity.
"I grew up a free and reduced lunch kid. My mom and I moved here in 1984/1985 when I was four or five years old, and I didn't realize I was a free and reduced lunch kid. Forty cents, you know, you go get lunch, and seeing her struggles and everything has always stuck with me, and I always wanted to give back, but the impact, I don't know. Maybe, I think later on, I'll look back and see some of the stories that parents share and stuff like that. I think that's really what touches my heart."
Laielli said it's a mission that can have a lasting impact on these kids.
"I would love to feed as many kids as we can, but I think there is something to be said about feeding the children in your own backyard, in your own community, because these are the kids that you're going to see that are bagging your groceries, that are changing your oil. They're going to grow up. And I think it's good to nurture that in our own community," said Laielli.
Currently, the non-profit is preparing for the upcoming school year. They're accepting monetary donations, as well as volunteers.
If you can help, just click here to get started.
