MACON, Ga. — Mia Johnson has bright eyes, a warm smile and a heart of gold.
She's an intelligent 15-year-old sophomore studying at Academy for Classical Education in Macon.
As a young woman of faith, she expresses her love to the Lord above through acts of kindness as a Girl Scout.
"I've grown up in the church with God, and it's a Christian organization, so it's a great way to serve God and also serve the community," Mia said.
She continued, saying she was taught to be generous by her parents.
"Think of others before yourself," is what they would tell her, she elaborated.
Joining Girl Scouts as a 9-year-old was a win-win for her because she'd get to be with her friends while also doing what she loved, which is giving back to others, Mia said.
"We’ve always talked to her about the importance of giving back and she wanted to do something to help others" Mia's mom Christie Johnson said. "At the time, there weren’t many service opportunities for nine-year-olds."
"There aren't very many because, like, a lot of organizations-- which rightfully so-- have an age boundary, like an age restriction."
But the Rescue Mission of Middle Georgia said it allows younger people to volunteer with supervision and permission.
"We wanna be a welcoming center to people who are hurting," Jason Beck said. "If we look around, there's a lot of hurting people."
Beck is the Vice President of programs at the Rescue Mission.
He said he and his team at the refuge say the work they do is "important because it's what we're called to do as human beings."
Mia said she got in touch with the Rescue Mission through her parents.
"Giving to Girl Scouts is the whole point of buying cookies," she said. "If you're able to give to Girl Scouts and help another organization, I think that's even better."
Beck said they couldn't say no to an opportunity to collaborate with a local Girl Scout.
"We love to eat around here, especially girl scout cookies!" Beck said.
When they first started collaborating, Mia said she was able to bring in about 35 boxes. This year - 110!
Since 2018, Mia's had a special tactic to get more do-sey-donors.
"I'd go door to door or I'd post online when I'd be selling cookies, and there's always the person that's like, 'Well, I'm on a diet' or 'i don't need cookies for my house,' and I'll always include, 'If you don't want to buy some for yourself, you can donate them to the rescue mission.'" Mia explained.
Mia's been working toward the Girl Scout Gold Award since she was 9-years-old.
She wants to help create a garden on the grounds of the rescue mission.
When you serve others straight from the heart, it inspires others to Tag-along.
"The way she carried herself even as a young girl, the love that she had for people that really a lot of the times have been forgotten about and her attitude was I see you and I just want you to know that people were thinking of you and she showed that through a Girl Scout cookie," Beck said.
"I don't want anyone to ever think that God doesn't recognize them or that they're not loved because I think that's so important and I've been shown that my whole life and I think it's important everyone else gets that as well," Mia said.