St. Peter's Benefits From Another Exceptional Young Person

A few years ago, a young girl made a request for her birthday, as young girls are apt to do.

If you don’t know Isabella Jenney, then it may surprise you to learn that her request was not for an iPod, Wii or a new pair of sneakers. Rather this young lady asked simply that her friends and family donate food in lieu of buying her gifts.  The charity she chose to be the recipient of her collection was the food pantry at .

Like , that selfless act and the work she has done since have caught the attention of Father Koshy Mathews, who correctly assessed both girls as having an exceptionally singular spirit. Interestingly enough, the two girls are not connected and neither is actually a member of the St. Peter's congregation themselves.

When asked if there was a specific catalyst or event that inspired her daughter’s goodwill, Dina Jenney shared “I don't think there was ever an ‘a-ha’ moment for her—somehow, she sees the big picture, and we just follow her lead."

Isabella, who became a vegetarian three years ago out of love and compassion for animals, is clearly wise beyond her years.

After the birthday food drive, she has gone on to coordinate and execute many more altruistic projects. This past holiday season she began a personal mission for Heifer International.

Her goal was to raise $1,000. Isabella hung flyers and posters around Phoenixville, as well as created a website and Facebook page for her mission, which she calls Help in a Heartbeat. It’s no surprise that she exceeded her goal with a total pull of $1,140.

Along with her 7-year-old brother, Isabella is scheduled to work at St. Peter’s food pantry this year, and also enjoys playing flute in the band at Charlestown Elementary. She cites a third-grade teacher, Christopher Vogt, as being an inspiration.

“He’s  one of the most caring and kind people (I have) ever met," Isabella said.

When asked what she could tell others who wanted to help, Bella’s wisdom shone through in her response.

I would say there's always (someone) in your community that needs your help. Tell your friends and family to join and help people who can't help themselves. You can start anywhere, even in your own house. You could start by handing out flyers to your friends, or even to people at your local grocery store. It all starts with one person pitching in, and that person can be YOU.

Her mother humbly deflects the opportunity to pat herself on the back for all of her daughter’s insightfulness. “I think Isabella just has a global view of the world—she realizes how lucky she is to have a warm, safe home with food and a loving family,” Jenney said.

And the community, for their part, is lucky to have Isabella.