When we started, we had a simple mission: Feed hungry people and feed them one child at a time. We've been doing that for five years now. Providing hungry families with food to sustain them through hard and lean times. Helping families who were having to deal with decisions like "pay the electric bill or buy food" as well as "which do we need more? gas to heat the house or food to eat?" We know that we have been doing what we were supposed to. We know that we were able to help a large number of families. We've found pride in the fact that we've never had to tell anyone "no" when they've asked for help. We know that we've been consequential. But all good things come to an end. Starting September 1, 2011, we will no longer be operating the way we have. We're shuttering operations for a season.

The first question that comes up is why? Two reasons really. The first reason is the simplest. We don't have any more money. We've always kept our bank account close to a zero balance because of our belief that if we have money in the bank then someone isn't eating. In the past, the money has always shown up when it needed to for the coverage of expenditures. But lately that hasn't been happening. Please know that every dime that has come in via donations has gone right back out in the form of assistance. It's hard to keep up what we're doing, though, without financing. That's really a minor reason, in all honesty.

The biggest reason is this: there's been a growing concern among some of us here at The OneChild Project, for some time now, that we're slowly becoming part of the problem and less a part of the solution. We're concerned that we are becoming the kind of enablers we don't want to be. At our core, we believe that there is more that we can and should be doing. That our part should go beyond just handing out food. We don't want to be just another way people can use the system in their favor. We want to be an organization that helps people out of their situation for the long term and not just short term.

So what now? Well, we're working towards achieving our 501(c)-3 non-profit, tax exempt status. We've been trying this for some time now but have always fallen short due to the fact that any money we saved up to pay the fees was ultimately spent on food. Someone has generously donated the entire amount of the fees to us and we're going to finally make it happen. After that, we're going to assemble a group of advisers, put our heads together and figure out what we should be doing. There have already been several ideas tossed around. I'm sure they will be exciting conversations.

How long will this break last? As long as it needs to. We want to do the best we can and do the most good we can. We know that won't look like what we do now. We're ok with that. We're excited about what it could be.

What can you do? Well, there's several things you can do to stay involved:
1) Pray - If you are one that practices such things, pray for us. Even if you're not one that practices such things, pray for us. Pray that we do the right things and go in the right directions.

2) Pick up the mantle - it's not hard to do the things that we've been doing for the past five years. There's nothing wrong with those things either. They're just not what we should be doing anymore. Get in touch with a teacher or counselor or principal and offer up the same help to the families at their school. You don't have to help everyone. Just help one child.

3) Walk with us again - After we emerge from this season of down time, whatever direction we end up taking, we want you to go with us.

We appreciate your support and involvement over the past five years and we know that the families you indirectly helped appreciate you as well. Stay tuned. We will return...

Eric and The OneChild Project team



"Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end..."
- Semisonic