Donavan's Story

Donavan's Dream is just as that, a dream. Donavan Sanford, a 13 year old from Lamar County, thought that nobody should have to struggle with sacrifices between everyday living expenses and nutritious foods.

At 7 years old, Donavan starting going to Atlanta around Thanksgiving each year. Donavan and his Aunt Becca went to help feed and provide foot care to the homeless. He always left with a sense of appreciation for the lifestyle he possesses and his ability to help the underprivileged. After years of serving the homeless, Donavan realized that hunger is an issue that is not limited to major cities. He had an idea that no other kids his age would even think of; Donavan was ready to start a food bank. One day he went to his mother and said “Mom, I want to start a food bank." Of course she did not think much of it. She even thought about times where she struggled to feed her own. He was persistent as he knew it was his calling to help others. After giving his mother some attitude, she began to do her research on food pantries. She first searched for food pantries that Donavan could volunteer at, but was unsuccessful. His mother and grandfather decided to purchase a co-op each month. Donavan began providing 3 families with food boxes each week. He ended up serving 15 families, which made him realize there was a need for somebody like him to serve the entire community. They started reaching out looking for sponsors, but each prospective sponsor told him he had to be a 501c3. After many trials and errors, Donavan received his 501c3 status on November 9th, 2017. 

He currently provides about 200+ food boxes weekly to the community. His calling and passion is bigger than he ever expected, and it is still on the uprise. He has also started another store by the name of "Donavan's Dream Gifts and Thrifts." This store helps offset food expenses by selling cheap clothes, decorations, and so much more.  The store is located at 100-3 Southland Drive Barnesville, Georgia 30204.