I still remember her shy smile in fifth grade. She sat two rows over, cheerful but quiet, and every lunchtime she’d pretend to search her bag before saying, “My mom forgot again.” Most kids never noticed, but I did. I told my mom, and the next day she packed two lunches. From then on, sharing became our quiet routine. She opened up, laughed more, and those lunches became the highlight of her day—and mine.

We drifted apart over the years, but twelve years later, she called out of the blue. Her voice was warm as she told me she’d been trying to find me just to say thank you. Those lunches, she said, had meant everything during a hard time at home. “You didn’t just share food—you shared hope.”

That small act inspired her to start a program providing lunches to kids in need.