A 4-year old abducted and raped in Wilmington. A chemical gas strike against innocent civilians in Syria. A terrorist attack in Stockholm. It has been a very dark week. Things we shouldn’t hear about in the news. But we do, because there is darkness in the world. People who do very bad things. If these perpetrators’ actions weren’t killing people, they were traumatizing them. They turned people into victims. Today was one of those days where you were afraid to see what happens next.
I lived in Sweden in the mid 1990s from February,1996 to May, 1997. I worked in Stockholm, the nation’s capital. The two places I worked at were on Drottningsgatan (Queen St.) where the hijacked beer truck purposely tried to hit as many pedestrians as possible before it crashed into Åhlens department store. Right below the store is T-Centralen, which is the Grand Central of the Stockholm subway system. It is a miracle only 4 lives were lost (as of this writing) and 15 injured. It shocked Sweden as it does any country where these acts of cowardice happen. Had I still lived there, I could have very easily been right where that truck hit shortly before 3pm if I continued to work at either of those jobs. A witness reported the driver went right into a baby carriage. Who does that kind of thing? What cause is ever worth taking innocent lives? I can’t think of any.
Everyone is going nuts about Trump lobbing missiles at Syria. I won’t weigh in on whether I thought that was right or wrong, but I do know the chemical weapons attack against civilians in Syria was wrong. And it wasn’t the first time this happened. It is a horrible way to die that no man, woman, or child should ever have to go through. But they did. They were not able to cry out for justice as the air was stripped away from their bodies.
Last night a little girl in Wilmington, only four years old, was abducted while playing with friends. She was raped and put in a park after. Four years old. I can’t even fathom someone doing that to anyone, much less a precious child. I pray for her and her family today. It used to be you could leave your kids to play outside on your own street. Now the parents in that community are scared because the monster is still on the loose.
For all this darkness, there is always light. Today, I proudly watched as a family I know officially adopted a foster child they took in a year ago. 3B: Brae’s Brown Bags took part in an event where Delaware children and adults got together to help end hunger in our state. Even with some cold and windy weather, I got to see flowers and leaves popping up today. My son made the Honor Roll at his school. I watched two people I know, one most of my life and the other I met only once, go through very tough health issues but they both look to be on the mend. There are good things happening every day but far too many of us see the bad.
We don’t have to let a handful of darkness block out the light in our lives. We can find that light, or even become a part of it. It doesn’t mean we don’t mourn and bow our heads in prayer when bad things happen. But we also need to celebrate the good. It isn’t easy, but it really is the only way to keep your sanity.
Christina Board of Education member John Young, when asked to describe Braeden Mannering, said the above.
I don’t usually write about individual students on here. But Braeden Mannering is an exception, because he is a very awesome kid! Braeden and his mom, Christy Mannering, run a foundation called 3B: Brae’s Brown Bags. Their mission is to provide healthy food for those who can’t afford it. From the 3B: Brae’s Brown Bags website:
Our mission is to provide healthy snacks to homeless and low-income individuals. Every bag includes a letter from Braeden, contact information for additional services who can provide further assistance. Three healthy snacks (each one is below 180 calories) and a bottle of water. Our belief is that every person regardless of their financial situation deserves to have access to healthy food. This helps to balance the paradox between obesity and food insecurity.
I first heard about Braeden earlier this year. All I knew was that he had a business of some sort to feed the homeless. I had no idea he went to the White House a couple times, met Michele Obama, has won numerous awards, and very recently began appearing in the 2016 Scholastic Almanac For Kids. His website tells his journey better than I ever could. So how does a 12 year old boy who attends Gauger-Cobbs Middle School become a Delaware celebrity?
According to an article in CNN earlier this year, Braeden won a contest for the 2013 Healthy Lunchtime Challenge. His “Tortilla Bowl Deluxe” allowed him to become the winner for Delaware. After an award dinner at The White House, Braeden made a decision that would change his life. After seeing a homeless man begging for money in Washington D.C., Braeden came up with an idea.
During the trip home from the White House, Braeden asked his mom if he could give his souvenir money to a group of homeless people. A few days later, he came up with another creative way to pay it forward.
“Braeden was rummaging in the kitchen and emerged with a brown paper bag,” his mom, Christy Mannering, said. “Inside was a water bottle, potato chips, fruit snacks and granola bars. He asked me if we could go back and give it to one of the homeless people.”
Two and a half years later, Braeden is still giving nutritional meals to the less fortunate and the homeless. Braeden and his mom turned it into a non-profit business called 3B: Brae’s Brown Bags. As of a week ago, 3B handed out 4,500 brown bags to those who struggle the most in our state. Brae has been to numerous schools around the state, and even to some other states as well.
I talked to Christy Mannering and asked for her permission to write this article. She happily accepted. She described Braeden for me.
Brae has an old soul and a huge heart. He is often asked if he thinks he will be “doing 3B forever” and his answer never changes. He says he hopes he doesn’t have to, because he wants hunger not to be a problem anymore, but that he will keep going as long as it is needed.
Family friend Laura Nash agrees with Christy’s assessment of Braeden:
3B is Huge! He is truly an amazing kid with a big heart.
A year ago, Braeden won a competition called #MazdaDrive4Good. The sponsors of the contest, NBC Universal and Mazda, donated $30,000 to 3B Brae’s Brown Bags. As a result, actress Minnie Driver and a film crew came to Braeden’s home in Bear and presented the check and Christmas decorations for Braeden and his family. He appeared on the Today Show on NBC, his family was invited to the tree lighting at Rockefeller Center in Manhattan, and he was even interviewed by Al Roker!
You know my Mom told Mr. Adam that one of the best things about all of 3B has been seeing it spread and help others. She says when you throw a pebble into the water the ripples can spread out all the way across a pond, she is humbled to see the ripple effect that 3B is causing and she’s so proud to know that I’m the pebble.
This fall, the pebble spread and Braeden and his mother created the 3B Ripples Student Chapter. The first Delaware school to join was Kirk Middle School. The mentor for the project, teacher Jackie Kook, had this to say about Braeden:
Braeden is an inspiration in that he allows others to realize that, no matter our ages or abilities, we can band together to help those in need. The outreach of his initial brown bag has been tremendous, and we at Kirk Middle School are proud to continue his work and show our community that Kirk Cougars Care!
Braeden doesn’t believe it is his job alone to help those in need. His outreach to students across the state is something I can only look upon with awe. He is building community awareness in ways many adults are unable to do. To speak in front of an audience is a talent learned over time, but this seems to be a natural gift for Braeden.
Braeden’s story is amazing. I agree with his mother that he is an old soul. But he is also a new soul. He is a pre-teen, not even in high school yet, who has a passion for those less fortunate. It is enough to make a huge difference. Braeden is a unique soul in Delaware. He gives and gives and expects nothing in return. The fact that he can help those who have less is a comfort for him. I can only imagine feelings of that sort are a part of Braeden’s family dynamic. In addition to running the business with Brae, his mother was also one of the key figures in the Christina School District referendums earlier this year. Even though the referendum didn’t pass, Christy gave countless hours of her time to help the struggling district. Her husband and Brae’s step-father, Brian, serves on the Christina Citizens Budget Oversight Committee and writes for Delaware Liberal and his own blog, Those In Favor. I met both of them this year, and they are very compassionate people. While I have not met Braeden yet, I see the values he holds so dear in Brian and Christy as well.
Braeden was invited back to the White House in 2014 for the Annual Kids Dinner. He was a speaker and he actually introduced Michelle Obama to the crowd.
But something that stood out for Braeden even more than meeting the First Lady and President Obama, was an honor he received on May 1st, 2014. Delaware Senator Bryan Townsend sponsored Senate Concurrent Resolution #48. This legislation recognized the boy who knows more about giving than receiving.
I remember back in 1989, Phil Collins released a song called “Another Day In Paradise”. It was a song about the homeless, and the words really impacted me. I went into Philadelphia with family the day after Thanksgiving that year and it was freezing out. I saw the homeless, shivering along buildings and laying on vents. Grocery carts were their best friend on a holiday weekend. It saddened me that there are those who don’t have homes for whatever reason, especially during the holidays. I always wanted to do something about it, but the everyday trappings of a non-homeless life pushed it out of my mind.
One of the Delaware blogs I follow religiously is Homeless1 in Wilmington. The author of the blog, a former homeless person, helps the homeless in Delaware as much as he possibly can. It is an excellent blog, and you can find it on my sidebar. When I read the articles on there, it brings me back to that 19 year old me who wants to do more, but doesn’t know how. I live in Dover, and the homeless are here too. I see them from time to time when I am driving in Dover, and I always say a prayer in my mind that they find themselves out of whatever circumstances they are in. And then I see a bright light in Braeden Mannering, and my feelings of helplessness lift away. Because I know that one 12 year old boy, who could be doing many other things with his life, has made it his mission to end hunger. I’ve been reading Brae’s website for the past week, and I am overwhelmed at his unconditional love for those who are hungry, or don’t have a home. Homeless1 said it best:
there is no such thing as a small effort in fighting homelessness. every effort has an impact. every person involved in advocacy, outreach or street ministry has an impact. the type of impact we have is a direct result of how honest we are with the homeless, with the public in general and with ourselves. every effort matters. every statement matters. every truth, or untruth matters. they both have far reaching effects whether or not we realize it. we need to become conscious of that fact.
Braeden’s impact on Delaware is huge. Braeden sees the simplest truth of them all: helping others is the right thing to do. Thank you Braeden Mannering for renewing my faith in humanity this holiday season. You are the Exceptional Delaware Hero of 2015! I write about education all the time, but I am still always learning. As a state, we talk about improving education for low-income and poverty students all the time. But if we can’t eliminate hunger and homelessness for all the citizens of our state, we will constantly be fighting a losing battle. We can change the conditions of a classroom all we want, but for some students it is not what they need the most. We can give grants to schools and open up wellness centers, but as long as one child comes to school hungry we are not doing everything we can for Delaware students. I salute Braeden Mannering for teaching us all that if we allow our hearts to open up, change can be a very powerful force. I may be late to catch up on Braeden Mannering, but he is definitely someone who gives with an open heart, one brown bag at a time…
As I was putting the finishing touches on this article, an article by Zoe Read with WHYY/Newsworks showed up on my Facebook feed. Called The face of Delaware’s homeless children, the timing was uncanny. This is what Braeden is all about. Helping these children.
To see a recap of Braeden’s journey in 2015, please watch the below video:
I can now reveal why Bill Doolittle stepped down as President-Elect of the Delaware PTA. He is in the process of forming an advocacy group for the children in Delaware who need it the most! And he wants parents help in the formation of this group. Bill asked me to help get the message out:
Beginning today, I am starting the effort of forming a group of parents/families and other interested individuals to begin the formal process of developing a mission/vision, purpose and to incorporate as a nonprofit for such an organization.
I have an initial concept which is a non dues (donation only) grassroots organization for parent/families and others who are interested in making sure that every child at risk can be fully supported to have the opportunity meet their potential. I see the efforts including: providing information, peer-to-peer support and of course strong focused advocacy. My initial vision is of Delaware as the first chapter with 2 divisions. One for children with disabilities and special health care needs and a second for children living in poverty and impacted by other environmental factors such as trauma, home and food insecurity, non-English speaking, any type of discrimination and so forth. Of course it will be the people who join in this effort to make the final decisions as to all of this.
I am asking for individuals who are interested in being part of the formation, or who simply want to add their voice once it is formed, to contact me. The emails I am using for this initiative is DEARCPA@gmail.com
Shortly after I first started this blog, Bill contacted me about starting a group like this which I was looking to do eventually. I firmly believe now is the time for a non-partisan, non-State Government affiliated group like this to get going. Far too often, our state only listens to groups that are already a part of state government and that needs to change! I will certainly be adding my voice to this effort, and I strongly encourage all like-minded parents to do the same. Parents are an integral part of education and the community at large, and our voices need to be heard!
Most would assume it is Kilroy’s Delaware, but they would be wrong. It isn’t even a blog about education. It is the most brutally honest words I’ve ever read. It is the truth far too many want to ignore or pretend it will just go away. To truly understand the plight of the homeless in Delaware, you have to read Homeless In Wilmington.
The author used to be homeless, and this is all he writes about. He understands their perspective and shares it with us all. His cry should be a cry we all feel. I want to share one of his more recent posts.
I Wept For You Today
July 14th, 2015
i wept for you today. when i saw the group of you standing in the rain, waiting for the doors to open so you could go inside in the early morning darkness. when i saw the number of you and the blank expressions on your face as you waited, i wept.
when i passed the mother with her young child in a stroller, i wept. my heart went out to her as she passed me on the sidewalk and i glanced at the young child. my eyes went back to the mother who looked at me and half smiled, hiding the pain, the anxiety and the weariness that only a mother could know as she tries to keep her child at her side. i thought of where she slept last nite and the fear that must have crept around her as the darkness sank in and she was alone in the abandoned building that i know she sleeps in. i thought of the relief that the early sunrise must have brought her, only to be quickly replaced by the burden that the same sunrise brings.
i passed the elderly gentleman with mental illness wandering down market street. as i passed he paused and began to speak as he always does when i see him. his greeting was familiar but his conversation after that was sprinkled with reality and the bizarre ramblings of dementia and paranoia that fills his world. i looked more intently at him this morning as i listened to him speak in the world that he is trapped inside. when i began to move on and glanced back i thought of him and the many times i’ve seen him wandering the streets of my city going to a destination that only he is aware of. in the rain, the snow, the darkness and the heat of the summer he shuffles down the same streets every day, content in the world that only he knows. as i looked ahead again, i wept because i know he will not make it thru another winter on the streets.
i passed the single young woman whom i see often in my travels among the homeless. when i first saw her she was pretty, young and physically fit. this morning she was a shell of herself and her eyes seemed to be dimming with each meeting. her once physically fit body was now thin, worn and bore the marks that heroin addicts wear. she was weathered and street hard. when i thought of the moment that the needle will enter her arm and as surely as i was standing before her today, it will take her life…i wept.
i learned of a young woman’s death this morning that i haven’t seen in awhile. i inquired about her to her once boyfriend who had just relapsed and was beginning again to attempt to kick the drugs that have had a reign over him since the first day i met him. his response that she died 7 months ago hit me particularly hard this morning when he told me she overdosed. i wept as i thought of the last time i saw her, drug free, eyes clear and a bright smile. i wept for a life cut short in what should have been her prime.
every time i passed a homeless person today and saw the backpack on their back or duffel bag at their side i wept for them. i wept because i know the struggle, the weariness and the anxiety that comes with that backpack and worn sneakers. i know the look on their face and the feelings inside them despite the smile on their face. i wept for them because i know the inner sadness and feeling of being alone that eventually comes to them whether it be late at nite, early in the morning or all during the day. i wept for them because i know that the chances of ending their homelessness soon is small and that their struggle is ongoing. i know the heavy burden they bear. i wept as i passed the ones that were drunk, high or somewhere in between. i know they carry a death sentence with them and every time they smoke, drink or stick a needle in their arm they are quickening that sentence and shortening that green mile.
at the end of the day when i saw the homeless finally at their destination, i wept, i know that they will sleep on a bed that isn’t theirs, in a building that houses sadness and desperation. i know they will sleep tonite and wake to the thought that soon another day of walking the streets of my city will begin. another day of surviving and living with the thought that tomorrow will bring another day…just like today.
i wept for my city today as i wondered how it could allow this day after day after day and year after year. i cried as i wondered how my city could allow men, women and children to be homeless, alone and often hungry and fearful for their own survival. i wept when i thought of you allowing this to begin, grow and continue in your community being fully aware that the homeless are among you.
i wept for all of you today, but you did not know it. i shed not one tear down my cheek and i did not wipe my eyes as the pain of your homelessness sifted thru me. as you keep your pain inside of you, so i kept the tears inside of me as assuredly as the woman at your place of employment keeps her homelessness inside of her. i kept it inside of me just as sure as the homeless child who shares your son or daughter’s classroom keeps their secret inside. i kept my tears inside of me just as intently as the elderly woman you pass on the sidewalk as you scurry to work or lunch or on your way home keeps her fear and pain inside.
i wept for you today…all of you…in my soul. i wept for my city.
see you around town
Many of the homeless children go to school with our kids. You may not even know it. When my son is hungry, I give him food. When he is cold, I give him a blanket. But these children don’t have the luxury over going to the latest Disney movie when it comes out. For them, the only game they play is the constant “when will it end”.
I live in Dover, and there are homeless here as well. Every once in a while you will hear about one of them freezing to death in the winter. One day I was walking on a path near Silver Lake, near the park, and I found what appeared to be a small homeless town, with tents and grocery carts. Nobody was there, but it was obvious I have it much better than these people. Most of us do.
The homeless are people, just like us. Circumstances brought them to their current situation, but they bleed the same blood, and feel the same pains we all do. But they feel it every day.
Some of these homeless children are the ones we so desperately want to fix at school. The ones that can perform the same as their peers with the right amount of rigor. As if this can cure their current plight. If our Governor and DOE truly want to “fix” these children, no amount of high-stakes standardized tests is ever going to change their reality.
As campaign season kicks in during the next few months, and the rich gladly pay $100 a plate at a dinner, remember what those funds could really do to those who need it more than any person running for public office. Maybe buy some sleeping bags. My favorite blogger is stockpiling them now for those who will need them.
The Season Of Myths 