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Giving away smiles

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Photo by Sydney Cromwell.

As a young girl, Kimberly Bradley wanted more than anything to be a missionary. That dream lay dormant in Bradley’s adult life until Hurricane Katrina shocked her into action. Bradley felt a divine calling to travel to the ravaged Gulf Coast and help rebuild people’s lives. Her service became the inspiration to start a charity of her own.

Bradley started Heavenly Smile in 2006 to provide low-cost budgeting classes to people in Chelsea. The name was inspired by a poem written by her grandfather. As she partnered with small churches in the area to help the nonprofit grow, Heavenly Smile began offering assistance with utility bills and food for families in need. Eight years later, Bradley’s food pantry gives away between 125 and 200 pounds of food each month to residents throughout Shelby County.

“I enjoy seeing us come together to do something,” Bradley said. “Whether it’s Chelsea or Shelby County it doesn’t matter. I think that’s the way communities are supposed to be.” 

The food pantry is the core of Heavenly Smile, but Bradley said the charity is involved in many aspects of the community. Heavenly Smile hosts a Christmas sponsorship program to provide gifts to children whose parents cannot afford them, and a “bread ministry” was just started this summer for senior citizens who need food assistance.

This generosity is not possible without significant community support. Bradley said the Chelsea Intermediate School band has a food donation drive at its concerts, and nearby churches will fill the pantry every time it starts to run low. Churches and local Girl and Boy Scout troops also provide volunteers to prepare food and toiletry packages or help with Open Pantry Days during the summer.

“It’s really a community-based organization, with the schools and the churches and just anyone who hears about us,” Bradley said. “When things pull together and several organizations come together as one unit, sometimes you can better serve that way.”

Bradley described the mission of Heavenly Smile as providing a “hand up, not just a handout.” She said many people do not realize short-term help is available as they deal with illnesses, injuries, job loss or any of the other unexpected challenges of life.

“It’s just help when you need it, and just realize it’s OK to ask if you need something,” Bradley said.

Some families’ stories stick with Bradley for years. She remembers a couple who went through one of the early financial planning classes that has now gotten out of debt, bought a house and had a child. A family that received food assistance two years ago while their 3-year-old went through cancer treatments now sends updates to Bradley about their child’s cancer-free life. Recently, she heard from a mother who needed help with groceries for her children when chemotherapy took its toll.

“She said, ‘You don’t know what it meant to go through all my cancer treatments and know at least that was coming in. I didn’t have to get up and go shopping when I didn’t feel good,’” Bradley said.

Bradley admits that her vision for Heavenly Smile has often been bigger than reality, and she has had to scale back her plans to make them work. In spite of these limitations, she hopes to roughly triple the food pantry’s size by spring and regain the funding to help families with utility bills again. Eventually, Bradley wants to offer classes on job and interview skills to help people get back on their feet. In the meantime, everyday donations still make a world of difference.

“Beans and rice still go a long way,” Bradley said.

While people must apply to receive food assistance, Bradley said she has yet to turn anyone away. To make a donation or apply for aid, contact Heavenly Smile at 678-6603. Applications can be filled out by appointment on Tuesday or Thursday from 1 to 5 p.m. at 1800 County Road 39.

Heavenly Smile food pantry needs list

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