“There have been 400 Methodist ministers in our line of the Godbey family. Thomas Godbey was an Anglican minister. He left England for Jamestown in 1608, the year after the settlement was founded. His ship wrecked on the coast of Bermuda, and the passengers stayed on the island for a year building a new ship named Deliverance. They arrived in Jamestown after the time of starvation when three out of four settlers died–sometimes a shipwreck is a good thing. 

I grew up next door to my grandparents in Birmingham and was raised by a family oriented to church, God, and doing the right thing. My grandfather and uncle were Methodist ministers, and my mother was a teacher. I had always been interested in my family’s story, so I became a history teacher.

I taught history in Gadsden and Montgomery. Then we moved to Fairhope, and the superintendent told me to get a degree in elementary education; Baldwin County didn’t need more history teachers. I didn’t want to do that. I taught part time at the Marietta Johnson Organic School and Bayside Academy. My husband and I also opened The Christmas Shoppe in downtown Fairhope. We had the store for 11 years and loved it. 

After we closed the store, I got re-certified as an elementary teacher and taught for 20 years in Bay Minette. Being a teacher is like being a missionary but sleeping at home. I was voted Teacher of the Year for Baldwin County in 2012. I retired in 2014, my 40th year since I started  teaching.

I still loved kids and became a substitute teacher. I was subbing at Fairhope Elementary when I saw a cute little girl in an adorable dress crying because she forgot her lunch money. Her mama couldn’t afford the dollar and quarter for charging lunch. The little girl couldn’t eat. I talked to a lady in the cafeteria, and we gave her lunch. She ate everything on her plate, including the big kidney beans. That little girl opened my eyes to food insecurity in Baldwin County. I had to do more.

I was president of a small organization of retired teachers that made little donations to help students and teachers. A school counselor in Daphne suggested we send food home with two students who didn’t have enough food on the weekends. We figured out the low-sugar foods kids would eat and how to pack them in backpacks. The number of kids grew quickly.

We started Kidz Eatz four years ago with $600 in our account. Each pack costs $7 with two breakfasts, two lunches, and two supper items–plus two fruits and two snacks. We didn’t have enough money to provide food packs for the rest of the year. This was during COVID, so we raised money making mask holders and having yard sales. Sometimes, we put the food on our credit cards. It was a miracle when outside donations started coming in. Individuals sponsored children, and churches made monthly donations. We are up to 300 kids at eight schools and spending $1500 a week on food, but we are adding two more schools. There are many more kids in Baldwin County who need these meals. 

One of our volunteers got an appointment with Shawn Esfahani, the owner of Eastern Shore Toyota, about donating to Kidz Eatz. We were hoping for $1,000. $5,000 would have been fabulous. Mr. Esfahani gave us $600,000; $60,000 a year for the next ten years. He became our #1 Corporate Sponsor, funding our entire budget for this year and helping us feed kids for many more.

We now have about 100 volunteers who can make meal packs. Many of us are retired and finally have time to volunteer. We put together almost 1200 bags of food bags on packing days, then enjoy our fellowship time. No one makes a dime. Serving together gives us older folks a chance to socialize. 

I was diagnosed with cancer in 2020 just as we started Kidz Eatz. The cancer was aggressive and surprised me for a minute. Then, I got to work on surviving. I did the conventional things, but I also did peer-reviewed research and changed my whole way of living. I am cancer-free and plan on being here for a long time. My husband was so supportive, and I didn’t miss a single pack day putting bags of food together. 

‘Be Ye Doers of the World and not Hearers Only’ is a church song from childhood that keeps playing in my head. We want all kids to know they are in a community that loves and cares for them. They have a purpose in life, and we will help them do their best.”

Anne

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Anne’s story is part of the annual Souls series of the Weavers. The ones who stitch together the fabric of society. They show up for others and provide a more connected way to live—proving that one person who cares makes a difference. A spark of compassion becomes a flame lighting the way for others to join in. When I lose hope from the news and big problems, Weavers are my reminder that people are doing good work, often silently and invisibly. They find solutions for repairing the rips in lives and communities by just doing what their heart calls them to do. Their stories also give hope and encouragement to weave in our own threads. These are the stories we need right now. Message me if you have a suggestion for a Weaver in your community. 

Lynn