CRAWFORD COUNTY, Ga. — In December, Crawford County teacher Melessa Hollis wanted to teach her middle school students the importance of helping others.
Her students then helped her come up with the idea to pledge a full year of giving back to the community.
As part of her "12 Months of Giving" initiative, Hollis gathered donations for a local nursing home and asked friends and family to "adopt" a senior for the month.
Hollis says all throughout March, as the coronavirus pandemic took its toll on the community, those seniors kept getting baskets filled with supplies like toilet paper and cleaning supplies.
Hollis didn't stop there. She's been delivering groceries, supplies, and meals to seniors and those unable to leave their home during the coronavirus outbreak.
She also helped cook and deliver lunches to healthcare workers and plans to do the same for law enforcement in April.
She also teamed up with other teachers to pack snacks for students. They added them to the lunches provided and delivered by the school district.
"I put snacks on my porch for my neighbor's kids," she said. "It's fresh air, a way for them to get out, and even an opportunity for me to watch the kids."
"Then I thought, throughout this whole pandemic, with people losing their jobs and lots of stress, what can we do on social media to get people smiling?" she asked.
Hollis decided to use #GoodDeedChallenge on all of her social media posts, not as a way to be recognized, but to be an inspiration.
"The 'Good Deed Challenge' is something we all need right now. People need to smile. People need to know that it is going to be okay. People need to know that this too shall pass," she said.
Hollis says she's had a lot of help from local churches, groups, and neighbors.
She says she's also had businesses and groups from other communities reach out wanting to help, because they love the idea.
She is already working on a "Bear Hunt" throughout Crawford County for April, asking neighbors to put stuffed animals in their windows and yards for kids to spot. She is also trying to put together an Easter egg hunt that still follows social distancing guidelines.
MORE HEARTWARMING STORIES
'There is still fun in the world right now': Central Georgia neighborhoods send kids on 'bear hunts'
FACTS NOT FEAR | At 13WMAZ, we’re focusing our news coverage on the facts and not the fear around the coronavirus. To see our full coverage, visit our site section here: www.13wmaz.com/Coronavirus.