NDMS student creates Blessing Box to provide free food/supplies to community
Tori Robinson’s first day filling up the blessing box. {Contributed photo}
Thirteen-year-old Victoria (Tori) Robinson has created and placed a “Blessing Box” outside at the front entrance of North Davidson Middle School in efforts to give back to her community. A blessing box is a cupboard placed at a designated area where people can leave donated items, and those in need can pick up items anonymously and use them free of charge. The items are primarily nonperishable food items, toiletries and other necessities.
Robinson’s desire to give back to the community began when she was in the first grade. What began as a school fundraiser, a lemonade stand food drive that she personally initiated in her neighborhood, turned into a passion. From there, with the help of family, she created her nonprofit organization and platform, “Tori’s Lemon-AIDE.” Tori’s Lemon-Aide evolved into a larger traveling stand that she and her family would transport to different places such as community festivals and storefronts to raise funds in efforts to “fight childhood hunger.”
Where it all began - Tori’s Lemon-AIDE stand. {Contributed photo}
Robinson said, “For several years, I would set up my lemonade stand at community events. When the pandemic occurred, I was forced to find other ways to give back to the community. Among other things, I found myself often filling blessing boxes. This was a good way I could give back to my community and social distance at the same time. I decided I wanted to build my own blessing box and donate it to my school.”
With the help of her supportive family, the Blessing Box project was set into motion and underway. Robinson admitted, “My dad and pop did most of the building, while my mom and I worked to create the perfect design, lettering and logos.”
In July, the perfect blessing box was completed and put at the school. It’s adorned with a sign that reads “Take what you need, leave what you can.” Inside the box are items such as nonperishable food, toiletries, diapers, etc. Each day at school, Robinson checks the box and restocks it as needed. She exclaimed, “I was so excited when I first started checking on it and saw new items in the box!” She added her goal for the blessing box is that those who are in need visit it often, and she hopes it provides others a way to give back to the community, who may not know of ways to give back.
Amy Hyatt, principal at North Davidson Middle, offered, “NDMS is proud of Tori Robinson and the effort she has made to help citizens in our community.”
Tori Robinson, with NDMS principal Amy Hyatt, presenting the blessing box to the school. {Contributed photo}
Other than her Lemon-Aide stand and blessing box, Robinson has contributed to the community in other ways, especially notable at the onset of the pandemic. “I donated over 300 masks. I have also made blankets and donated them to the cancer center, created cards for rest homes during the pandemic, provided food and goody baskets to first responders and many other things throughout the years.” Robinson has earned seven Presidential Volunteer Service Awards and has contributed over 7,000 pounds of food to community outreach programs.
Robinson shared her future goals. “I would like to become a forensic pathologist after college. However, I would love to build my platform fighting childhood hunger by manufacturing my own lemonade and selling it across the country, with the profits from the sales going back to the community it was sold in.”
Tori Robinson won the Jr. Miss Cosmos international title. {Contributed photo}
Being beautiful, both on the inside and out, Robinson competed in Jr. Miss Cosmos International in July 2021 and won the title. Cosmos is a program that promotes community involvement and encourages girls of all ages to give back to their communities. Robinson will represent her international title for a year under contract by making appearances and giving back to her community in a number of ways. One is sponsoring community service titles, which is a great way to partner with other systems and promote community involvement. Robinson recently sponsored the Community Aide title at the Asheboro Fall Festival pageant, and prior to that, sponsored the Community Service title at the NC Cuties state pageant in August. Through sponsoring these titles, around 3,000 items have been collected to fill local blessing boxes.
Robinson concluded, “I think it is very important to give back to the community and help those in need. Everyone has something to give, even if it is just being kind.”
For information, or to keep up with Tori, follow her pages:
https://www.facebook.com/Toris-Lemon-AIDE-1810791359057762
https://www.facebook.com/JrMissCosmosInternational/
