Tampa teen uses birthday to collect donations for needy families

TAMPA, Fla. - Kennedy McCormick has collected cereal for needy children at her birthday parties for the past seven years. 

"Instead of asking for gifts on my birthday I ask for cereal,” Kennedy explained. “So, every time they're like what do you want for your birthday and I'm like cereal. They say no, something else but I say cereal." 

This year, because of the pandemic, Kennedy wasn't able to have a party so, she did a piano recital on a social media platform. 

"The first goal was $500. So, when I exceeded $500, it just kept on going, kept on going and added up to $3,000. It was crazy," she said. 

So crazy that when General Mills heard about the performance they gave two truckloads of cereal to Feeding Tampa Bay. 

"It was a surprise to us," Kelvin McCormick, Kennedy's father said. "Two truckloads full of cereal that was a lot of cereal.” 

Kennedy is now taking part in Feeding Tampa Bay's "Virtual Fork Fight,” an interactive, virtual program to help raise money for the organization.

"I really like helping out the community,” she shared. “It really makes me feel good." 

The goal of the program is to raise more than two-million meals for children in the Bay Area. 

"If you help your community your community will help you in return," Kennedy said. 

Kennedy is living proof that small acts of kindness can have very big results. 

The Feeding Tampa Bay virtual event takes place on September 17. Tickets are $25. 

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