People for People program receives large donation

As 2021 rolled over the horizon, good news was received by the People for People and Backpack programs which serve residents of Hot Springs County.

Ed Good, a 1973 graduate from Hot Springs County High School, had mailed in a request to Lynn and Foster Friess on behalf of the programs, asking for a donation to start the new year. Good is not only a Thermopolis graduate he is related to Nancy Madrigal who had told him about the two exceptional programs serving the community.

Madrigal contacted Judy Carswell who oversees the two programs and told her she would be receiving a call from an attorney in Jackson to discuss giving a donation.

Carswell was, of course, skeptical at first, but answered the attorney’s questions and gave him an address “to send the check.”

A few days later Carswell got a friend request on Facebook from Good who assured her it was all legitimate, that he was a friend of Friess and his wife Lynn, and the pair had an interesting conversation via text message.

When Good told Carswell what the programs would be receiving, she was in shock.

A few days later an extremely generous check was waiting in the mail.

“We are so blessed,” she said, “and the people of our community will not be hungry for a long time.”

People for People feeds about 100 people each Sunday who might otherwise not eat over the weekend. The backpack program provides weekend food supplies for school children during the school year and helped immensely during the period children were out of school due to COVID, helping to provide lunch for them each day.

“Lynn and I are grateful to have the opportunity to distribute some of the Lord’s money, which He has entrusted to us, to support your efforts,” the letter from Friess, which accompanied the check said. “One of the favorite verses for Lynn and me is Galatians 6:2…when we carry one another’s burdens we fulfill the law of Christ. We are delighted that we can partner with you.”