Thank you, #barefootneighborhood.

When we come together, we make a difference, and we use this use this platform for good.

Dollar Tree Dinners for Back Bay Mission

This is what it looks like when a whole lot of people give a damn and whether they care if their neighbors get a meal on any given day. On April 12, 2025, we filled a trailer and several trucks full of items to bring to Back Bay Mission. We were met with a huge group of volunteers at the Micah Day Center, who immediately swarmed the vehicles to unload the trucks of food. Almost immediately, volunteers of all ages created an assembly line to make these Dollar Tree Dinner bags come to life. From there, we presented Back Bay Mission with a check for $2,245 from the first quarter of my merchandise sales a $600 donation from Pepper the App.

After the bags were made, we moved everything else to the food pantry. Not only did we stock it up, we stacked the hallway with boxes of food. This is going to feed a lot of families. To my online audience, my local friends, and the entire #barefootneighborhood, thank you! You touched lives in a real way with this amazing turnout.

More about Back Bay Mission: Back Bay Mission has a simple mission: to strengthen neighborhoods, seek justice, and transform lives. Back Bay Mission has proudly served the Mississippi Gulf Coast for more than 100 years.

Beds for a Year: A Birthday Wish Come True

What started as a simple birthday wish two years ago to provide 40 beds for kids in foster care has grown into something truly special.

For my 42nd birthday last year, I hoped to provide Elijah’s Closet enough beds for a full year. Elijah’s Closet is a non-profit organization, led by Nikki Williams, who are passionate about helping kids and families on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Beds continue to be the most in-demand item they provide. Over the course of two weeks, we donated 659 complete beds and cribs, along with additional supplies, saving Elijah's Closet over $162,000, allowing them to focus on their mission of helping kids

Lauren Smith from Elijah’s Closet called this effort “an answer to prayer,” and it’s easy to see why. These donations are a lifeline for children and foster families during emergency placements, giving them a fresh start without worrying about supplies.

Lauren Smith, Elijah’s Closet Development Director

“I think I can speak on behalf of the whole board of Elijah’s Closet that things like this, like what Matthew Bounds is doing for us, is an answer to prayer.”

Backpack Buddies: Feeding Our Future

We didn’t stop at beds. In 2024, we also teamed up with Backpack Buddies to make sure kids who rely on free or reduced lunches have food during holidays and over the weekends.

Here’s what we did:

Fulfilled Pineville Elementary’s June food wishlist in just 15 minutes, replenishing it several times so we could provide food through Thanksgiving break.
We then received another list, that you helped fulfill in less than an hour, and those items kept kids in our community fed through the holiday break. We were also able to give the kids holiday goodies and treats!

By stepping up, we made sure kids here on the Coast had full bellies and happy hearts.

Here are some other ways we supported our community in 2024:

January: We donated $33,000 towards Elijah’s Closet building fund over a weekend.
May: You bought out an Amazon Wish List for Camp Able Coast, a week long summer camp for differently abled kids.
September: We spent a week finding ways to help the victims of Hurricane Helene by:

Shopping at Sam’s to send supplies to the affected areas
Donating money to nonprofits working in the affected areas
Purchasing items on Amazon Wish Lists
Donating blood

Together, We’re Changing Lives

In 2024, we showed how powerful kindness can be. Over 650 kids now have a safe place to sleep, families feel supported, and kids in our own backyard know they’re cared for.

Let’s keep the momentum going. Whether it’s giving, volunteering, or spreading the word, there’s a place for everyone in this Neighborhood. Keep watching for how we can help our community.