8-year-old boy continues to raise funds for Harry Chapin Food Bank

A boy is going above and beyond to help families in need.

For the past four-and-a-half years, Brantley Garcia has held a peanut butter and jelly drive for the Harry Chapin Food Bank, and this year he has raised more than $1,000.

Eight-year-old Brantley rounded up $100 worth of peanut butter and jelly plus enough money to fill dozens of boxes with food.

He also donated $1,200 which will help feed approximately 40 families for four or five days.

The concept of people going without food was foreign to Brantley, said his grandmother Tonia Fisher.

“Couldn’t understand how people couldn’t eat, so he’s like well, what can we do? I want to do something. So that started the whole funding of peanut butter and jelly,” Fisher said.

This is the fourth year Brantley has worked to help others.

“She told me that people didn’t have food or any money to get food, so I wanted to help out,” Brantley said.

Instead of gifts for his birthday, Brantley asked for donations toward his cause.

“His thoughtfulness, for his ability to think about helping others at a young age, that will stay with him for all of his life and we are so grateful as is everybody who receives from our food bank,” said Shalla Ashworth, marketing and communications director for the Harry Chapin Food Bank.

As for Brantley, he said he plans to continue raising funds for the food bank every year.