Something in our town attracted my interest, and I wished to discover more about it. Wondering what it is?
A food
box placed for those in need!
Later on,
another box appeared at a local small business. Were the two connected?
Possibly! But this one wasn’t for food at all.
Connecting
the dots, I came across the name Scarlett. Or shall I say, Princess Scarlett?
This
young lady’s accomplished a crowning achievement—in more ways than one.
When I invited
Scarlett to guest here, she gladly accepted. So, readers, please join me for an
audience with “royalty!”
Sarah: Scarlett, thank
you for guesting on my blog.
Scarlett:
Thank you so much for having me. I’m excited to meet you!
Sarah: You have quite an
interesting life! Would you like to share about yourself and your family?
Scarlett:
I just turned 10 years old. My family loves staying busy and helping our
community. My mom has always been very involved in our town, so my sister
followed her, then I wanted to do things my sister does.
I became the 2026 Missouri’s Ultimate
Princess. I went to Indianapolis for nationals in June. Based on my interview,
public speaking, community service, and stage presence, I won the title of
AMERICA’s Ultimate Princess 2026. I’m so excited to bring the crown to Missouri
and use my title to spread information about my platform, Homegrown: Planting
Seeds of Change.
Sarah: That’s wonderful!
I
love the food box your family placed in town. Why did you decide to do
this?
Scarlett:
So, the food box we built is at the park. We love to fill others around town
too. A lot of people must walk to the pantries, so we try to make it easy on
everyone. The park is one of the busiest for kids, and I know lots of kids
don’t get food—especially when school is out for summer or holidays.
Sarah: How did your
family make the boxes and obtain permission to install them?
Scarlett: This was my sister’s idea in 2023. Jasmine looked for new ways to serve our community and especially wanted something involving the whole family.
My dad is a contractor, and I could even help with this at 6 years old. Jasmine let me pick the color. I love that it’s purple because it stands out beautifully. Purple is my favorite color.
Jasmine and my dad went to the park
board and got permission to build this. The park board installed it. As Jasmine
got busier with high school and college, I took over.
Sarah: Is it hard
keeping it stocked and maintained?
Scarlett:
Once in a while, my dad checks it. He shovels a path to it in the snow, tightens
things, makes sure the door closes, and stuff.
I check it weekly and wipe it down. There are people who leave trash or
food that went bad, so we always keep Walmart sacks in the car to clean
everything out.
Sometimes, the pantry is full,
sometimes it’s completely empty. We keep it as full as possible. In the last
two years, I’ve posted a lot on our community Facebook page. That helped people
learn about it, and the town helps keep it full.
I also do a lot of fundraisers
throughout the year. My biggest one lately is placing drink coolers in a couple
local businesses. All the money I make from that goes to buy food for the
pantry.
Sarah: How do you decide
what foods are best to purchase?
Scarlett:
We mostly do canned goods and things that don’t expire or need refrigeration. I
especially like putting things kids can make themselves, like oatmeal, cheese
and crackers, easy mac—things like that. I also like to do canned fruit. Beans
and rice are also something that feeds lots of people for not much money, so we
add those as often as we can, along with pasta sauce and dry noodles. I open up
boxes of individual stuff so people take a few and not a whole case.
Sarah: Last year you
provided Thanksgiving meals for 200 families. How did you collect enough to do
that?
Scarlett:
That’s my favorite project, but it’s really hard to keep it affordable. We went
to lots of different stores—buying green beans from Dollar Tree, gravy packs from
Dollar General. Every store only gets like10 packs, so we drive around a lot! Many
friends and family help. I got the idea from Dollar Tree Dinners.
The community has been amazing to give
money for this. Most people send it to my mom. Then we do all the shopping. In
2024 we made 100 bags for $8 each, and in 2025 a local church wanted to see this
double. They paid for an additional 100 bags.
Sarah: That’s amazing! Now
I see you have a new idea! Birthday packs?
Scarlett:
Yes! My birthday-in-a-bag includes everything you need to throw a birthday
party! It has a cake mix and Sprite. You can substitute Sprite for eggs and oil
in a cake mix. It works great! I also include icing, balloons, and candles.
Sarah: I’ve just learned
something new about making cakes!
Have
you had feedback from people who've been blessed through the food donations?
Scarlett:
No one actually said anything to me, but my mom reads me posts from Facebook
where people talk about it. And the Thanksgiving bags are always so rewarding
because I hear from teachers who give them to families.
Sarah: Does your family
have a faith-base? If so, would you share about that?
Scarlett:
Yes! We go to church and love going there. My mom used to be the children’s
director at the church. My favorite thing about our church is how much they
give back to the community and are always first to step up and help whenever
anyone needs anything, no matter what someone’s background is. We just really
try to follow Jesus’ commandment to love your neighbor.
Sarah: What sparked the library
box idea? How's that going?
Scarlett:
We already had our food box and saw it was a great thing the community needed
and supported. We had the library box idea because a lot of people can’t go to
the public library during hours they’re open, or maybe they just want to
recycle books.
We’re so thankful to one of our popular
downtown shops for allowing me to put “The Library Exchange” at their business.
We go several times a week and make sure it’s full! I donate anytime I finish a
book. My mom likes to buy books at thrift stores. When she finishes one, she donates
it there.
Sarah: Do you have any
advice for others who might want to start a community food box?
Scarlett:
It’s a commitment. I’m glad so many people support and fill ours and that my
dad maintains it. We went through the park board, but I’m sure a lot of local
businesses might be happy to host one if anyone asked and was willing to take
on the responsibility.
Sarah: Is there anything
else you'd like to share?
Scarlett:
I just want everyone to know that giving back doesn’t have to be hard. You
don’t have to start a box. You can donate to one that’s already there. There
are so many ways to help and many organizations that share resources.
We have amazing churches in our town,
and I love seeing everyone come together.
Sarah: This has been
great! Thank you so much for "meeting" with me here in "blog
world!"
Scarlett:
Thank you so much for talking to me and letting me share the things I care
about!
Scarlett’s certainly accomplished a lot for a young lady and, I believe, will serve well as Ultimate Princess 2026! And she’s learned a wonderful life-lesson—that it’s more blessed to give than receive. A crowning achievement for sure!
“In all
things I have shown you that by working hard in this way
we must
help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus,
how He Himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” Acts 20:35 ESV
It’s special living in a community where
folks—like Scarlett and her family—care about one another. What a perfect time
of year to remember giving and receiving! May God use many of us to help others.
And may the hurting and needy grasp that Jesus cares about them.
Jesus
Cares for Me
Poor and needy though I be, Christ
my Saviour cares for me;
Gives me clothing, shelter, food; Gives me all I have of good.
Chorus: Poor and needy though I
be, Christ my Saviour cares for me;
Poor and needy though I be, Jesus cares for me.
He who hears me when I pray, and
will keep me night and day;
When I sleep, and when I wake, for the Lord my Saviour's sake. [Chorus]
He who reigns above the sky once
became as poor as I;
He whose blood for me was shed had not where to lay his head. [Chorus]
Then to him I'll tune my song,
happy as the day is long;
This my joy forever be; Christ my Saviour cares for me. [Chorus]
(hymn Jesus Cares for Me by Dorothy Ann Thrupp, 1850, public
domain)
#UltimatePrincess #needy #poor #foodpantry #littlelibrary #donations #community
#Jesuscares #Thanksgiving #birthday
Photo Credit: all photos used with Scarlett’s parents’
permission