In early May, Melody Ellis (10) and Kaylee Weissinger (11) began asking a simple question:

How can we help our hungry neighbors in Wichita?

As members of the National Youth Leadership Council’s 9/11 Day Peacemaking Cohort, they knew they needed to address hunger in our community. What they didn’t know was how much that question would change them.

Rather than jumping straight into a service project, they started by listening.

They interviewed food pantries, faith leaders, community organizations, and local nonprofits throughout Wichita. They learned about food insecurity, available resources, and the challenges families face when asking for help.

One lesson stood out above all the others.

Hunger isn’t just about food.

For many families, the hardest part is overcoming the fear, embarrassment, or stigma of asking for help in the first place.

That realization changed the direction of their project.

Instead of asking, “How do we feed people?” they began asking, “How do we help people feel safe enough to ask for help?”

The answer wasn’t something I suggested.

It came from them.

Melody and Kaylee wanted to write a children’s story that would help families begin conversations about food insecurity in a way that felt safe, hopeful, and free of judgment. They wanted children to know that asking for help is never something to be ashamed of, and that every person deserves kindness, dignity, and belonging.

That idea became First Time Fears.

Today, I’m incredibly proud to share that Melody and Kaylee are officially published authors.

Their book is now available for pre-order through both Amazon and Bookshop.org.

Amazon: First Time Fears on Amazon

Bookshop.org: First Time Fears on Bookshop.org (My Favorite Place to Buy!)

Publishing a book wasn’t one of the original goals of Food for Friends.

It became a solution.

One created by two young leaders who listened carefully enough to understand that sometimes the greatest barriers aren’t physical. They’re emotional.

For me, this milestone represents much more than seeing their names on the cover of a book.

It represents what happens when children are trusted with meaningful work.

This wasn’t a classroom writing assignment.

It wasn’t a contest.

It wasn’t a simulation.

It was a real community challenge that led to a real solution, created by two children who cared enough to ask difficult questions and keep searching until they found an answer that felt meaningful.

Over the past several months, Melody and Kaylee have developed partnerships, created a project budget, designed marketing materials, raised community support, recruited volunteers, organized a public outreach event, practiced public speaking, and now published a children’s book.

Each lesson built on the last.

Each challenge became another opportunity to grow.

And each accomplishment reminds me why authentic leadership experiences matter.

Children don’t become leaders by waiting until they’re older.

They become leaders by practicing leadership today.

Their journey isn’t over.

On September 7, Melody and Kaylee will host Food for Friends, a free community dinner and resource fair at Central Riverside Park, bringing together food, resources, children’s books, and community in an effort to reduce the stigma surrounding food insecurity.

Then, on September 20, they’ll celebrate another incredible milestone as they premiere their short documentary, Food for Friends: Our Journey Through Service Learning, sharing the story behind everything they’ve learned throughout this experience.

Watching these two young leaders grow has been one of the greatest privileges of my life.

Not because they published a book.

Not because they organized a community event.

But because they learned that meaningful leadership begins with listening, grows through service, and inspires others to believe they can make a difference too.

Congratulations, Melody and Kaylee.

Your story is just beginning.

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Learn more about Food for Friends at https://bit.ly/m/FoodforFriends