MUNCIE, IN — “The most important thing about leadership is helping create new leaders and guide them in that process,” said Madden Moore, the 17-year-old behind Madden’s Chicken Giving.
This faith-based community organization puts together chicken meals complete with a full rotisserie chicken, sides, a handwritten card and more to give to homeless people in Muncie the day before Thanksgiving, Madden said.
Madden’s Chicken Giving started when 12-year-old Madden lost his wallet in Target, said Meagan Moore, Madden’s mom. She posted what had happened to social media, and soon friends and family donated more money than Madden originally had.
Rather than keep the extra money, Madden and his family decided to use it to buy rotisserie chickens for the homeless. They found a group of people living under a bridge and were able to feed them, Meagan said. It sparked something in her kids, seeing that some people don’t have the things they have.
Now, they try to let their volunteers hand out meals, Madden said. On average, 100 youth volunteers come each year. Exposing volunteers to the reason behind the chicken giving helps them to see the need.
“There’s a big difference between just going to a shelter and dropping off the meals or then going to the shelter and handing a meal to a person, meeting them, communicating with them, having a conversation. I think those things, seeing the situation that they’re in, I think those are the most impactful things for our volunteers,” Madden said.
This year, the youth are entirely in charge of the event, Meagan said. She’s been able to step back and leave it in the hands of the team Madden put together.
The definition of a leader is someone who makes other leaders, Madden and Meagan said. The more kids who volunteer, who see the need that there is, the more people want to change the world.
“Madden’s big thing has always been, if we can bring in as many kids as possible to get out there and to actually see the need, we make changers. We make people who actually want to change the world because they see it,” Meagan said.
Madden’s Chicken Giving partners with various shelters to distribute the chicken meals to people in need. This is Muncie Mission’s second year working with Madden’s Chicken Giving, said Leigh Edwards, Muncie Mission’s vice president of community engagement.
Holidays can be self-centered because everyone is busy with their family, shopping and buying gifts. Seeing these students step back and focus on those who don’t have as much, doing something kind for someone else, is awesome, she said.
The warm meal is as valuable as the effect it has on the students volunteering, Edwards said. She appreciated how Madden and his team reached out to Muncie Mission for feedback after the event last year.
“I really appreciated that they are, you know, they’ve asked for feedback and they’re taking that and making improvements. So I imagine it’s going to get better and better every year,” she said.
This year, Madden’s Chicken Giving is planning to host another event in February. People don’t give as much once the holidays are over, and hungry people still need food, Meagan said. Even close to the holidays, there has been a huge need.
“We have never been so bombarded by places saying they need meals,” she said.
Madden and his mom didn’t intend Madden’s Chicken Giving to grow like it has, but God had other plans, Meagan said.
Last year, Madden and his friends had meals left over after visiting a shelter. They went up to a house to see whether the occupant needed a meal, and an older lady opened the door. She started crying when she saw them.
Madden and his friends explained who they were and offered her a meal. She accepted gratefully. Her husband had recently passed away, and she had been living on crackers, Madden said.
“I think that was really impactful and brings us back to why we do this,” he said. “Like, trying to understand the need that people are going through in the situations. … I think being able to do that and share that kindness and be a light in her life, like, what a gift that was to be able to do. And I think God definitely led us to that house that day and allowed us to do that.”
This article originally appeared on Muncie Star Press: Muncie teen finds heart, meaning in pre-Thanksgiving ‘Chicken Giving’
Reporting by Kenna Hartian, Muncie Star Press / Muncie Star Press
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
