Saturday Spotlight: Street Sweets brings treats to neighborhood kids

MOORESVILLE — Summer is synonymous with students getting a break from school and eating cold, tasty treats on warm summer days.

One problem in the summer is some students do not get to eat. Many schools offer free or reduced meal programs to feed students whose families cannot afford to do so. Unfortunately these programs do not continue in the summertime, leaving many hungry.

One local church has set up lunch sites in several areas and fed thousands of children so far this summer and will continue to do so. Heather Edwards and her husband, Chad, were sitting in church a few weeks ago when the pastor at the Cove talked about how grateful the children were.

Chad reached over and scribbled a note in the book Heather takes notes in, writing "I have a great idea." After church, he told her about what she described as a "crazy idea" to buy an ice cream truck and give out free ice cream to children, especially from lower income areas.

The couple discussed it over, thought and prayed about it before deciding to give it a go. Johnny's Street Sweets, named after Chad's late grandfather, was born.

Heather said they are in the process of purchasing a vehicle, and plans to be on the roads within the next couple of weeks.

When the temperature turns cooler, Chad and Heather plan to hand out free donuts and hot chocolate to parents and adults. They also plan to take blankets and hot coffee to areas populated with homeless people.

The couple has two little girls, ages 4 and 2. The 4-year-old is excited about the ice cream truck, although her parents had to explain to her why they were buying one.

Heather recently had a friend in Georgia whose house burnt down. She gathered many donations, including toys, to take to her. Heather told her daughter they were buying the truck to give ice cream to other children whose moms and dads couldn't afford to buy it.

"They don't have simple little luxuries like ice cream melting on their faces in the summer," Heather said.

Since giving is so important to the Edwards family, they will also encourage others to give at the ice cream truck. If a child makes a donation to the non-profit ice cream truck, they will receive a reward for their contribution.

To learn more about Johnny's Street Sweets and to see their activity in the community, click here to visit their Facebook page

If you are interested in making a donation to the organization, click here. All donations to Johnny's Street Sweets are tax-deductible.

Do you have a positive story from the community you think would make a good Saturday Spotlight feature? Click here to send us a Facebook message.

WSOC