With stories and constant updates regarding the coronavirus pandemic continuing to spread across media, it has become a rare thing to come across news that isn’t bleak and anxiety-inducing.
There are, however, positive and even inspiring stories connected to the crisis that come out every so often, such as NBA players pledging funds to aid out-of-work arena employees.
Well, now we have some feel-good news coming out of Gaithersburg, Md., as 7-year-old Cavanaugh Bell sets an example of selflessness in response to the crisis.
According to Fox 5, Bell—who, again in case you didn’t catch it, is all of SEVEN years old—saved up money from two birthdays and two Christmases, amounting to $600, to purchase and package 65 “COVID-19 Carepacks” as well as 31 hot meals from local restaurant Buca Di Beppo. He took it upon himself to make these purchases after Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan instituted a shutdown order for restaurants on Monday.
Bell—who is at an age when most of us were watching cartoons and avoiding vegetables like they had that Rona in them—put these care packages together to serve to senior citizens and help local businesses impacted by the shutdown.
“What’s up, guys! I’m at Target. Thank you for your donations, and look at all the stuff we got,” said the child, who is at the age I was when still refusing to share my toys, in a video to his supporters.
Bell added in another video, “Don’t forget our senior citizens. They need to eat, too.”
Here is a little background on the first-grader, as reported by Fox 5:
Cavanaugh started a non-profit called “Cool and Dope” with the mission to “eradicate all bullying and youth suicide through political and social action by his 18th birthday on Nov. 20, 2030.”
He became a philanthropist and anti-bullying activist after, at just 5 years old, he was bullied to the point of having suicidal thoughts. His mom encouraged him to counteract his experience by creating a movement to spread positivity and love.
In such a short amount of time and at a young age, he’s already accomplished so much.
He gave a TEDX Youth Talk, got the city of Gaithersburg to dedicate February 21 as Bullying Awareness Day in honor of Gabriel Taye, an 8-year-old in Ohio who committed suicide because of bullying in 2017, his county designated October as Bullying Prevention Month, and this October he hopes to lead the Anti-Bullying Rally in Washington, D.C.
Cavanaugh Bell just singlehandedly made it very difficult for adults to continue uttering the words, “Grow up! You’re acting like a 7-year-old,” while also giving new connotation to the question, “Who raised you?”