Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.
Issue link: http://www.epageflip.net/i/1472997
12 UCW JULY 13 - 19, 2022 WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM Seth's Wish helps the hungry and homeless in Fayetteville by ASHLEY SHIRLEY COVER STORY It all started with a friendship. In 2014, 9-year-old Seth Wofford noticed Mr. Steve, a gentleman he often saw behind his school in downtown Fayetteville. e two felt a connection right away and struck up an unlikely friendship. A simple wish "Steve was really kind," Seth's mother, Lindsey Wofford, said. "He would also say hello to the parents as they passed by with their kids, and Seth just really liked him." Filled with the curiosity com- mon at that age, Seth asked questions that were difficult to answer. "Where does Steve live, and where does he go when it's cold?" rough a difficult conversa- tion, Lindsey Wofford tried to help her son understand, Mr. Steve was homeless. Filled with the pure and dauntless intentions of a child, Seth was determined to help Mr. Steve and others in a simi- lar predicament in any way he could. After months of brainstorm- ing, the answer came from a surprising source — a television commercial. Capital One was running a campaign called A Wish for Oth- ers that asked viewers to submit a wish they had on someone else's behalf, and Seth Wofford had a big one. A national problem According to the United States Interagency Council on Home- lessness, over 500,000 Ameri- cans currently live in a state of homelessness. Homelessness as a national issue originated in the late 19th century, mostly in dense urban areas, and has been a steadily growing issue across the United States ever since. Due largely to a worsening drug epidemic, a steady in- crease in housing costs, stag- nation of wages, the displace- ment of LGBTQ+ youth and few resources for those with mental illness, the number of homeless people in America has grown exponentially. As of 2019, an estimated 9,314 homeless people live in North Carolina, about 798 of whom are veterans, and just under 500 live in Cumberland County. With the economic fallout of COVID-19 and the highest spike in prices in over 30 years, the rate of homelessness in America isn't likely to slow down anytime soon. A wish fulfilled Armed with a $1000 gift card from Capitol One, Seth Wofford set about to make his wish a reality. "He was so excited," Lindsey Wofford shared. "We picked out stuff for Steve and a couple of others, and we just kept meeting people who wanted to help. We learned as we went, it kept snowballing, and it slowly grew to this," she said, her arms spread wide to demonstrate the enormity of their work. "Sometimes we look around and say, 'how did this even happen?'" From the joy of that first shop- ping trip, Lindsey Wofford felt the power of her son's wish and has never looked back. After obtaining 501(c)3 status in 2015, Seth's Wish has created a space where people can get the help they need with dignity and kindness. e organization's mission: "To positively impact lives and bring together the commu- nity by providing the necessary resources to those facing food insecurity, homelessness and other poverty-stricken crises in Fayetteville," is at the heart of all they do. Standing at about 5'2", Lind- sey Wofford has a smile and a greeting for everyone who walks into the Day Room of Seth's Wish, now headquar- tered on South Reilly Road in Fayetteville. Warm and funny in cut-offs and a T-shirt, Wofford treats the people who walk into the white house with the blue shutters like guests in her home. e Day Room, open every Tuesday and ursday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., is well organized and meant to suggest a shop- ping experience no different than any other. ere are no need-based forms to fill out or embarrass- ing questions to answer before people fill their carts. "People come in and say, 'hey, I need stuff,'" Lindsey Wofford explained, "and if you need it, then you need it. It's yours. We're here to give it, so we're go- ing to give it." And while it might seem an opportunity for unscrupulous individuals to swoop in and take advantage of the generosity on display, Lindsey Wofford doesn't worry about that. "For every one person that takes what they don't need, there are a hundred people that do," she said. Clothing items are hung on racks that line the walls, while baby items, toys, household goods, entertainment and fresh produce from the garden are laid out on tables in the middle. A pantry off to the side holds a wealth of non-perishables donated from food banks and people in the community, and a refrigerator houses essen- tials such as milk, eggs and deli sandwiches. Seth's Wish also serves food from their kitchen if anyone wants or needs a plate for the road. Meals like lasagna with rolls and a glass of sweet tea might be the only full meal some patrons have all day. Seth's Wish and the items found therein are donated by people of the community, with clothing items — especially Above: With help from Sustainable Sandhills, Seth's Wish also grows fresh produce in the house's backyard. Fresh vegetables, which are often overlooked due to their cost and fragility in times of food insecurity, are a welcome addi- tion to the organization's pantry. Right: At the front of the house, called Seth's Wish Gift Shop, is a space where people can shop for the things they want. Filled with jewelry, paintings, pottery and wreaths, the little boutique is a project of which Lindsey Wofford is immensely proud. (Photos by Isaiah Jones)