Boy finds his purpose after learning some classmates are going without food: 'Reality check for me'

WAKE COUNTY, N.C. (WTVD) -- "In the first grade my guidance counselor came to talk to our class and she said there might be kids in our classroom that aren't able to eat," said William Winslow, The Food Drive Kids.

And William knew his purpose.

"That really hit me hard because it was a reality check for me and it just inspired me to make a difference," Williams said.

And that's exactly what he's done for the last decade with The Food Drive Kids. He's raised money and food donations for a food drive every year, filled little food pantries throughout Raleigh and built gardens at schools. He's donated over 70,000 pounds of food and raised more than $80,000 dollars.

"The fact that kids are still hungry...10 years of doing this...little food pantries, school gardens and talks to schools...there are still kids out there who are hungry. And that's what keeps us going after this long," William said.

And William has now been recognized for his hard work. He recently finished in the top 25 out of 500 applicants for the Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes which recognizes outstanding young leaders in the U.S. and Canada.

"We don't do it for the recognition. But it is cool to see people recognizing it and it gives us a bigger stage to get our message out and help people. Our goal right now is just to make as big of an impact as we can and help as many people as possible," William said.