Local teens help feed homeless

PINE BELT, Miss. (WDAM) - On Saturday, 16-year-old Sariah Hubbard and her 13-year-old brother, Matthew, skipped the Mardi Gras festivities in Hattiesburg to help feed members of a local shelter-- something Sariah has wanted to do for several years.

“I’ve always wanted to do it since I was 8 or 9, I guess; when I was younger,” she said. “I never did take the initiative to say I wanted to do it until I was 15.

“At 15, I told my step-dad that I wanted to do it, and he was like ‘Do it.’ So, when I turned 16 is when I actually started putting the word out that I wanted to feed the homeless.”

Once the siblings put their plan into action, businesses like Shipley’s Donuts and Mario’s Italian Restaurant helped provide some of the food to be served.

Matthew talked about just how much his sister has grown as the leader of this project.

“She’s shy, and I like that she came out and said something,” he said. “She’s becoming better at being out there. I like that she wanted to do this, so I just hopped on board and said, ”Let’s do it.’”

The pair said the plan initially, was to hand out snacks, but as sponsors joined, they decided to expand the menu to compliment the February weather in south Mississippi.

“It’s really the time where it gets cold,” Matthew said. “Even though we’re going into the spring, it’s really cold during this time, and I feel like people need warm food to eat and places to come.”

Family and friends also joined the efforts by doing everything from bringing home cooked meals to helping with the setup, something for which Sariah is very thankful.

“Teamwork makes the dream work,” she said.

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