SAN ANTONIO – A pair of little hands is creating change across San Antonio.
Ella Fall, 7, started raising funds to stuff bags with essential items for those struggling with homelessness. Fall’s Blessing Bags have already benefitted 150 people across the city.
“We make a schedule of who’s going to get the bags,” Fall said. “I feel kind of special and happy that they get to have it.”
The project stems back to when Ella began making colorful popsicles from paper to fundraise.
“I started to make popsicles to sell,” Ella said. “I cut a piece of paper and then just start coloring it in. We collect that money and buy the things that go into the bags.”
With the help of friends, Ella was able to sell enough to gather supplies to make Blessing Bags.
Two years later, her desire to give continues.
The first ten bags during 2020 were filled at the expense of her parents, Danielle and Chris. Each bag costs about $8 to $10 to fill.
“It really warms my heart,” Danielle said. “It just shows me the innocence and the love that children have, and I believe you can learn from children if we just take a moment in our busy life, or our busy schedules, as adults to just sit and listen to them.”
The young girl continues to fundraise in different forms, including online to continue helping those in need. The bags are filled with different items including snacks, toiletries, socks and items specific to the season including a beanie and gloves.
For Ella, it’s all about the smile she gets in return from those she helps.
“Justin...I can never forget his name,” Ella said. Justin is the first person Ella gave a Blessing Bag. “We prayed for him, that he gets to stay healthy.”
In an effort to help make more people smile, Ella along with classmates from her elementary school make hand written notes to include in each bag.
“I traced my hand (on the paper) and I (wrote on the back), you can give with your own two hands,” Ella said. “It’s a poem by Ben Harper.”
She hopes her Blessing Bags encourage others to get involved with her mission or one close to their heart.
For more information on the project or to make a donation, visit Blessing Bags’ Facebook page here.