The Magic of Making A DIFFERENCE

The sound of my daughter’s small, eager voice echoed in my mind as I stared into the pantry. “Mom, we need to bring a canned good for the food drive. Everyone’s bringing something!” Her enthusiasm stung my heart. As a single mother struggling to make ends meet, even the smallest extra expense felt monumental. I looked at the few cans we had left, calculating what was needed to stretch our meals to the end of the week. My hand hovered over a can of bamboo shoots, a pantry oddity I’d picked up long ago on sale but never used. This can was our last resort—a symbol of scarcity, yet also a glimmer of hope. “Here,” I said, handing it to her. She beamed as if I’d just handed her the world. “Thanks, Mom!” I watched her skip off to school, clutching the can with pride, as if it held all the love and generosity I had to give. In that moment, I felt the ache of scarcity but also the quiet power of hope—a hope that giving, no matter how small, could still matter. Little did I know that a single can of bamboo shoots would become a beacon of transformation. A few days later, my daughter came home from school bursting with excitement. “Mom! Guess what? My class won the food drive by ONE CAN! We brought the most!” Her words stopped me in my tracks. One can. One small, seemingly insignificant act had tipped the scales. It wasn’t just the win that struck me—it was the realization that a single, overlooked can from my pantry had made all the difference. It was an “Aha Moment” for me that would change my life forever. That small act—a single can—became a powerful symbol. It wasn’t just a donation; it was a reminder that even in our hardest moments, we all have something to offer. That one can carried with it a message far greater than I could have imagined: *one CAN* make a difference. The realization was humbling but transformative. It led to a question that wouldn’t leave me: *What if everyone believed they could make a difference? What if one small act could inspire a wave of kindness? Determined to find out, I set out on a journey that would forever change my life—and the lives of countless others. I reached out to friends, neighbors, and local organizations, sharing my vision of tackling childhood hunger in our community. Together, we launched “The Kids’ Breakfast Club,” a program rooted in love, compassion, and the belief that every child deserves a full stomach and a safe space to grow. Those early days were daunting. I often felt like I was in over my head—just a single mom with limited resources and no roadmap for solving such a big problem. But when doubt crept in, I remembered the can of bamboo shoots and the joy on my daughter’s face when she told me her class had won. If that one small gesture could spark something within me, it could inspire others too. And it did. Within months, “The Kids’ Breakfast Club” blossomed. What began as a grassroots effort to feed a few children grew into a community-wide mission. Families shared their gratitude. Volunteers gave their time and energy. Partnerships with schools and local businesses formed, amplifying our reach and impact. The challenges were real—moments of exhaustion, uncertainty, and setbacks. But through it all, I held onto the belief that every small action, every single CAN, mattered. Together, we proved that when people come together with compassion and purpose, extraordinary things happen. Years later, when I was chosen to run with the Olympic Torch during in 1996, tears welled in my eyes. I thought about the journey that had led me to that moment—the journey sparked by one can of bamboo shoots. The honor of holding the torch wasn’t mine alone. It belonged to every child who had been fed, every volunteer who had given their time, and every supporter who had believed in the power of small acts to create lasting change. That moment validated what I had come to know as a simple yet profound truth: one small act, one decision, one CAN, can ignite extraordinary transformation. This legacy continues to shape my life. From being recognized on the floor of Congress to receiving the Presidential Service Award, each honor reminds me of the same unshakable truth: change begins with a single step, a single gesture, a single CAN. Through this book, I want to share that truth with you. The story of a can of bamboo shoots, my daughter’s innocent hope, and the collective power of a community is a testament to the magic of making a difference. It’s a reminder that even in moments of scarcity, each of us has the power to spark change—not just in our own lives but in the lives of others. This is more than my story; it’s an invitation. An invitation to discover your own “Aha Moment” and to believe in yourself, even when the odds seem impossible, knowing that one CAN make a difference. This story reminds us all to step forward, take action, and unleash our dreams even if they have been hidden away, forgotten, or dismissed. We owe it to ourselves and future generations. We owe it to the world around us all.