KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — The success of a Tennessee teen’s charity has led the young philanthropist to be able to donate $45,000 to fight food insecurity.
Earlier this year, William Cabaniss, 14, started Vanilla Feeds Tomorrow, a nonprofit organization selling vanilla extract with proceeds going to the Second Harvest Food Bank of East Tennessee to help provide meals to those in need, WATE reported.
He started the nonprofit organization during the coronavirus pandemic after noticing the strain on food banks as more people struggled and depended on them.
“My goal is to help people and raise as much money as I can and help as many people as I can,” he told WATE earlier this year.
Cabaniss makes and sells the vanilla extract himself. The large bottles sell for about $30, WVLT reported. He donates $14 from each bottle sold to the food bank.
On Thursday he donated $45,000, which will provide 135,000 meals.