Laura and Samantha Kopec are more than just sisters; they are the brains and energy behind a mission of helping kids in their local community.
The sister-duo set out a year ago to give back to other kids in a big way. “I saw kids stuffing rolls in their pockets at school because they might not eat once they get home,” says Samantha Kopec.
Seeing a problem, the two decided to bite a piece out of what has become a successful solution – Feeding the Fosters Inc, a local non-profit based out of Pinellas County.
Why do they do it? Samantha explains that at a young age, her parents instilled values of community service to both her and her sister, Laura. The two, composed well beyond their years, cook weekly meals for foster kids in their area.
“We were riding the same bus with other kids, and never knew that they had food insecurities,” said Laura.
When they first started this non-profit, they would cook meals weekly and take them to the Sheriff’s Youth Ranch, which is only about 5 minutes from where they live in Clearwater.
The kids’ reaction was so profound that they decided to get additional volunteers to help cook and deliver meals more frequently.
Now they are cooking 2-3 times a week, but the demand requires even more. The pair needs your help! Recently they have teamed up with other families to help them serve even more children in need.
“Right now, we are cooking Tuesday and Wednesday, mostly because of when we can get the donated food as well as the freshly cooked meals to the kids,” explained Diana Kopec, who is Laura and Samantha’s mother and one of the Chefs.
They are always in need of food items and now rely on many community partners to donate food to them weekly, such as local grocery stores.
“As the demand continues to grow, so does the amount of food that we have to cook, so we need donations regularly from many sources,” says Diana.
In December, the Belleair Police Department and the Mike Alstott Family Foundation presented a $2,000 check to help Feeding the Fosters supply Christmas dinners to those in need.
“We are very involved in the community, and we always recognize the awesome partnerships we have,” Laura said, “As the new year begins, so does the opportunities to help others in need.”
If you would like to help with the great mission of helping local foster kids head to their website and sign up to help. You can find more information at https://www.feedingthefostersinc.com/