Cereal kindness and the domino effect of generosity
To many, a box of cereal may seem simple, but to a child in need, it can bring joy and nutrition to breakfast—an insight that recently inspired the team at Western Wealth Communities, a people-first property management company. In April, the team across all 18 of their properties in Arizona embarked on a heartwarming mission to collect cereal for St. Vincent de Paul. Their goal was simple: bring a bit of joy to families in need by donating breakfast items, particularly cereal.
The inspiration for this meaningful drive came from Lisa Green, their dedicated property management coordinator. Lisa had heard an inspirational story from her father who had volunteered in one of SVdP’s food pantries, located at All Saints Catholic Church, helping hand out food boxes in the surrounding neighborhood.
One day, while delivering a food box to a family struggling through tough times, her father included a box of Lucky Charms along with the usual supplies. The moment the child of the family spotted the colorful cereal, his face instantly lit up with joy. He ran to Lisa's father, hugging him tightly, and expressed that Lucky Charms was his favorite, something he hadn't had in a long time. This touching story resonated deeply with Lisa, helping her realize that joy can be found in the smallest of things.
"Whenever there is a food drive, my dad always pushes us to bring cereal because sometimes it’s easy to forget the stuff that’s so simple, like breakfast of sweet cereal, could really mean a lot for a child,” Lisa said.
Moved by her father’s story, Lisa shared it with her colleagues, sparking a reaction of kindness and action. The entire Western Wealth Communities rallied together spreading the word to each of their 18 properties about the cereal drive. With a little competition thrown in and a set theme for the drive, the spirit of giving and the joy of helping others spread quickly, uniting everyone involved. Each person did their part, and little by little, the donations began to accumulate.
“Some people would tell me things like ‘I just have five boxes’ and I would always tell them ‘It’s not just five boxes, it’s five more,’” Lisa said.
This collective effort led to over 500 boxes of cereal and other breakfast items, ready to be picked up by SVdP.
On the day before SVdP was scheduled to collect the donations, the team decided to have a bit of fun and create a domino effect video with all the cereal boxes. They carefully lined up the boxes, one after another, forming a colorful pattern that zigzagged across their office space.
“We thought we were going to do just a nice simple zigzag and then it had to snake around and come around and go over,” Lisa explains.
When the last box was placed, the team gathered around, filled with excitement. With a gentle nudge by Lisa, the first box tipped over, setting off the chain of boxes tumbling one by one, creating a fascinating domino effect. It was a beautiful sight, one that felt symbolic to everyone watching.
The next day, SVdP arrived to collect the donations. The 500+ boxes of cereal and breakfast items were loaded up, ready to be delivered to families in need through SVdP’s more than 80 community food pantries across central and northern Arizona. As the truck drove away, the Western Wealth Communities team felt a big sense of accomplishment and joy, knowing they had made a positive impact in their community.
“I know a lot of times kids in the summer don’t get breakfast,” said Lisa, who knows that lots of kids rely on school breakfast programs that they don’t have access to during the summer. “To know that they will be getting a breakfast and another thing for their cereal, it makes me feel very happy that we were able to collect so many boxes.”
This drive not only highlights the power of community and compassion, but it’s also a reminder for everyone involved that sometimes, the simplest gestures can bring the greatest joy.
