CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A young girl with a big heart is using her talents to help a Charlotte-area food bank keep up with the increased demands caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Thirteen-year-old Emily Welborne has been keeping busy during quarantine. She's been working on her art, painting landscapes and sunset backgrounds. After watching the news one night, a different image came into focus for her.
"I saw on the news food banks weren't getting enough foot out to people, so we called the food bank and they said they were in need of more food," Welborne said.
The rising eighth grader at Southwest Middle School decided to transform her hobby into something that could help struggling families during the pandemic. All of Emily's paintings are now for sale, with proceeds going toward Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina.
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Second Harvest provides meals to kids, senior citizens and employees impacted by decreased work hours.
"I want them to know there are people who care about them," Welborne said.
Emily's charging $5 for paintings on small canvases and $8 to $10 for framed paintings. Her goal is to raise $1,000. Ultimately, Emily hopes her paintings will give someone a reason to smile, knowing they helped someone in need.
"When I realized people could actually benefit from my paintings, that's when it became a real hobby," she said.
People who are interested in purchasing a painting, or simply donating to Emily's cause, can learn more information at this link.