Local Boy Cares for Hungry

There are a number of things that 7-year-old Lake Barrington resident Carson Pazdan wants people to know about him. One is that he wants to be a magician when he grows up, and another is that 3-year-old sisters can be trying sometimes.  However, what he doesn’t mention without prompting is that he won the Volunteer of the Year Award, presented by the Northern Illinois Food Bank last year.  

Magic wasn’t the medium he used however; the engaging young man raised the money by imagining a cookbook written for kids by kids, with the profits benefiting the food bank’s youth nutrition program, which feeds children in 13 counties in Illinois.  All of this began in the kitchen when he and his mother were having some mother/son baking time.  “I asked my mom if we could make a cookbook for kids, by kids,” he said.

His mom, Alyssa thought it was a good idea and Carson set to work constructing a folded paper and stapled book, decorated with markers as his first design.  The book would be titled: Kids Feeding Kids.

From there, he and his mother decided to increase the amount of recipes included and reached out their circle of friends, family and neighborhood school children to add to the contents.  They emailed, sent out flyers, and generally made the rounds asking for contributions.  Although the majority of recipes came from that pool, Carson and his mom received a few notable submissions from celebrities with Illinois ties as well.   Oprah Winfrey sent a recipe for Corn Fritters along and Movie Star, Chris O’Donnell, Maria Shriver and Sean Hayes, best known for his role on Will & Grace, also sent along additions for the cookbook.

After everyone weighed in, the cookbook boasted 800 recipes. Kid friends and family posed for photos with their contributions.  One of the moms, a graphic designer, named Liz Benedetto donated her time and another mom, photographer, Ellie Gruener, took the pictures.  “We’re really happy and grateful that the community helped us with this,” Alyssa Pazdan said  “It was really rewarding and inspiring.”

When the book was ready to sell, the family created a non-profit called Kids Feeding Kids, holding fundraisers to benefit The Illinois Food Depository. Misunderstanding the word funds, Carson pointed out that the event wasn’t all that fun and laughed along when the word was defined for him.

“We made over $20,000 with this book and half of that went to the printing cost and then 100% of the profit went to the Northern Illinois Food Bank,” Alyssa Pazdan said.  “Each book we sold raised almost 100 pounds of food for a child, right here in Illinois.”

The local aspect of the program appeals to the Pazdans, who are aware they have neighbors who struggle to feed their children.  “Especially in this economy,” Alyssa said.  “People right here, right down the street need help.”

Although Carson didn’t set out to receive any reward for his ideas and work, he has none the less received recognition. There was the Northern Illinois Food Bank award, which declared him, Volunteer of the Year in a ceremony at the Kane County Cougars stadium.  “It was pretty big considering the Northern Illinois Food Bank had been awarded Food Bank of the Year by Feeding America, the national food bank organization,” Alyssa said.

Along with his title, he received an impressive crystal trophy.  Before taking it from the box, Carson is always careful to don white cotton gloves so as not to mark it.   Gloves can be a struggle when you’re seven but Carson never fails to do so he explains as he carefully lifted the heavy piece from it’s nesting box.  His mom repeated, “Volunteer of the Year,” and Carson, answered, “That’s me!” 

After placing the trophy back in it’s case he ran off to retrieve his cookbook from the kitchen and returns with a spiral bound epic that sports his charming face on the cover. “Whenever anyone sees the book, they know its me,” he said.

The cookbook represents another award Carson has received; $5,000 for winning the  Morris Press Publishing annual cookbook competition for Carson’s Kids Feeding Kids book.  He turned the money over to the food bank.

The fundraising is ongoing and it’s Alyssa Pazdan's hope that Carson will take complete control of the operation some day.  Carson mused that he might be able to conjure up food when he’s a magician and joked that he could make it disappear as well.

However, when asked whom he pictures when he donates the money, he answers thoughtfully. “I have one in the back of my mind,” he said. “Someone sitting on the street and all they have for a blanket is a garbage bag and the only warm spot is an iron garbage can.”

“We think our mission is to bring awareness, compassion and a foundation of philanthropy for the kids involved,” his mom added with a proud smile.  “The earlier we introduce the concepts of charity and giving back, the more likely they’ll stay engaged in those activities into adulthood.”

For more information visit: KidsfeedingKids.info