Everywhere in the world, we can observe and be touched by acts of kindness. People from all walks of life, faiths, and cultures extend themselves beyond the call of duty to help others unconditionally. Through their noble deeds, humanity as a whole is elevated.

To commend virtuous actions and encourage more people to be inspired by their examples, Supreme Master Ching Hai has lovingly created a series of awards, including the Shining World Leadership Award, Shining World Compassion Award, Shining World Hero and Heroine Awards, Shining World Honesty Award, Shining World Protection Award, Shining World Intelligence Award, and Shining World Inventor Award, to recognize some of the most exemplary, generous, caring, and courageous people who walk amongst us.

It all started when Phoebe came to notice, on her way to the daycare, a man holding a sign asking for food on the street. Phoebe, at the tender age of five, asked her parents, “Why does that man look so sad?” Phoebe would often ask her teacher about it too, who explained that sometimes, people lose their homes or their job or encounter hardship. Once she understood that the Food Bank is somewhere the hungry people could get help, she had a plan.

Phoebe, can you tell us a little bit about your project and what you did to raise money?

I collected cans.

What gave you the idea to collect the cans?

Because every week my dad and me and my sister, we go to a place and give the cans to get money.

She was determined to collect US$1,000 to feed hungry people through this only way she knew how to earn money – trading in aluminium cans for recycling for only five cents per can.

What were you raising money for?

The people who don’t have food.

And so now they do have food because of the work you’ve been doing, right?

Yes.

And so this is the box that you collected the money in? (Yes.) Wow! It’s a beautiful box. Did you decorate it yourself? (Yes.) It has got rainbows and flowers and everything all over it, wow!

That’s money, and the bag of money.

A bag of money? (Yes.)

Within two months, big-hearted Phoebe had raised a grand total of $3,736.30. This amount was enough for the city’s Food Bank to provide nearly 18,000 warm meals – meals that people in need would not have if it weren’t for one girl’s perseverance. Watching and supporting Phoebe throughout the whole achievement is her preschool teacher, Ms. Kathleen Albert. Ms. Albert shared with us more details.

When it’s time to graduate, [the children] need to pick a project, a charity project, and sometimes there’s three or four kids graduating, sometimes there’s five. This year, Phoebe was the only one graduating . And she decided that she wanted to raise money for the Food Bank and she would collect cans.

In the past the kids have all done lemonade stands and have done quite well. But she explained to me that you get 5 cents on a can. And if I sat down and did the math with her, she figured she could make a thousand dollars. That was her goal.

Kathleen Albert wasn’t sure if such an ambitious amount could be raised. But she decided to assist her resolute student.

Phoebe and I sat down with the other children. We made a list and we talked about she needed to send out a letter and she needed to call people . She took most of the names from my mailing list, which was a little over a hundred people, and then there were some other mailing lists that I had that she knew about from other projects. And so she wrote the letter.

Every word in the letter was written by Phoebe herself.

She wrote the letter, we copied it . She wrote every person’s name and she signed each one herself.

“Dear Family and Friends, I am going to graduate from With Care Preschool. My charity project is to raise lots of money for the Food Bank. They need money. I am collecting soda cans. Would you please give me your soda cans and bring them to With Care between May 1 and June 15? I will collect 5 cents for each can. I need to get some sponsors to match what I make or any donations would be great! If you have any questions, please call my teacher, Kathleen…

Thank you for helping me. My goal is really BIG!!! Phoebe – [age] 5 The phone’s over here. She would stand on the chair and say, this is what I am doing, would you help me please? And that was the process. And then, money started to come in.

Optimistic Phoebe asked for cans and funds, and that is what she received. People came to leave bags of cans at the gate of the school, while others sent small amounts of cash and checks. Not everyone she contacted responded, and some days went by without any cans. But the next day, or the next, the giving would continue. And Phoebe continued to focus on what she was able to do.

She wanted to count the money regularly. So she made a little box, she has the box now. It said “Food Bank” on it. And we put it about the door, so that when people came in, they could put change or their coins. And money started flowing in.

It was Phoebe’s first saving box, and it was all set up for people she didn’t even know. A few weeks later, an article appeared in the local magazine about Phoebe’s project. Many were touched to tears.

There was an article by a man name C. W. Nevius. And he said several weeks into this project he had heard about it. He said if she’s five, and look what she is doing, what are you doing? And that article did change the pace of it, because we got a lot of money. I mean, we got probably close to US$1,000 dollars soon after that. And from various places, from families, from stores, we had merchants in the neighborhood, who contributed money.

We will be returning shortly with more details on Phoebe’s story. Please stay tuned to Supreme Master Television.

Welcome back to today’s program featuring five-year-old Phoebe, a recipient of the Shining World Compassion Award from Supreme Master Ching Hai. Having seen hungry people on the streets in her own city, one young girl from the United States wanted to help. When she learned that the local Food Bank is a place where people can receive food, Phoebe set out to raise US$1,000 by collecting and redeeming soda cans.

She had a total of 4,497 cans.

Those are the cans some people collected and gave, and then there’s the box. And there is me counting the money, there is me counting the money again and there is me with the box.

The Food Bank that would benefit from Phoebe’s charity project provides food to over 22,000 households each week through more than 400 non-profit groups.

Our warehouse is 45,000 square feet and generally at any given time, we have 2 million pounds of food. In this building right here, we have 10,000 square feet of freezer space. And this building here exists because one in five adults don't know where their next meal is going to come from.

About 60% of the people whom we serve at our pantry sites are actually from working families. And now that the economy has being deteriorating, we've been seeing a lot of more need in our community.

Phoebe’s project collected more than US$3,700. When applied to the Food Bank's network, it could translate into US$33,600 worth of food, or almost 18,000 meals.

The project has made us as a family talk more about what’s going on in our city. we would like Phoebe to take it beyond just collecting cans this one project and actually continuing work with food bank so she can become more aware on a day to day level, where this money is going to go and how it’s going to help people.

Phoebe’s two-month fundraising endeavor has become not only an inspiration, but a catalyst that has brought the family and greater community together.

It’s a continuation of what we do here. This is a village of families that all participate and all help each other. It made the community very aware that there was a need for food and that there were hungry people out there. Phoebe saw somebody wanting food, and that’s for her, what made a difference. And it’s made us all very aware.

For her love for others in need, five-year-old Phoebe was honored with the Shining World Compassion Award from Supreme Master Ching Hai, along with a letter of appreciation.

“We sincerely thank you, Phoebe, for your intuitive purity and goodness, uplifting our world with your inspirational example of compassion and love in action.”

It’s a beautiful crystal heart and it’s shiny. Here do you want to hold this? It’s heavy, be careful.

Your favorite, Phoebe, crystal. ( Hearts.)

And a heart.

And a heart, and it’s got your name on it. It says “tender, noble angel, from Supreme Master Ching Hai.” What do you think of that?

Good.

In addition to the recognition, Supreme Master Ching Hai gifted a matching contribution of US$4,000 to the Food Bank for Phoebe’s ongoing project. Phoebe presented this check to a representative of the Food Bank.

Thank you, on behalf of the Food Bank and all the people who don’t have enough food to eat. We thank you very much, Phoebe for presenting this check.

Mr. Paul Ash, Executive Director of the Food Bank, later wrote a letter to Supreme Master Ching Hai expressing his gratitude. “Dear Supreme Master Ching Hai, On behalf of [the city’s] Food Bank, I want to thank you for your gift of $4,000 made in honor of Phoebe’s fundraising project. Your gift increases the impact of Phoebe’s effort… Thank you for your generosity and confidence in our work and for your help in building a stronger, healthier [city].

Indeed, including Supreme Master Ching Hai’s donation, as of late December 2009, Phoebe’s charity had raised a total of US$18,647. Over 18 times her original goal of US1,000, the amount was enough to provide over 81,000 meals! Heaven bless the beautiful spirit of Phoebe, her supportive family and teacher Ms. Albert, her schoolmates and the Food Bank. May Phoebe’s story continue to inspire many more people to have faith in their own noble deeds.

Caring viewers, thank you for your presence on today’s program. Please keep your dial tuned to Supreme Master Television for Words of Wisdom, up next after Noteworthy News. May your life overflow with grace and love.