Meet the 9-year-old Founder of the Paris Cares Foundation, Feeding the Needy in St. Louis


You’re never too small to make a big impact.

At five years old, Paris Williams, was inspired by a young character in the book, One Boy’s Magic, written by Cari Chadwick Deal. Now, at only nine years old, she is running a foundation where she provides for the needy community in St. Louis.

According to St. Louis Post-Dispatch, young Williams established the Paris Cares Foundation after explaining an idea to her mother, Alicia Suber.

“In the book, a boy wanted to make a difference, and that was his superpower,” Paris said about the book her kindergarten teacher shared with her four years ago. “He gave a bag of food to someone experiencing homelessness, and I came home that day and I told my parents that I wanted to do that. I wanted to make a difference and a change.”

Williams is spending her childhood taking trips to the grocery store so that she can fill bags with food for the homeless. To date, the child has delivered 10,000 meals, and nearly 5,000 care packages through her foundation. During the peak of COVID-19, Williams distributed the bags to homeless shelters and people in the downtown St. Louis area.

The creative young girl draws pictures on the bags and leaves written messages so everyone who receives one will feel special.

“This little kindergartener, Paris, is making a big difference in the world,” the One Boy’s Magic author wrote about Williams in a 2019 social media post “…So proud of her and her huge heart! And for getting the message that ‘One Boy’s Magic’ is all about.”

Suber said the young philanthropist is supported by her family, which includes her stepdad and brother who they live with in Kirkwood. “We’re proud of her, and it’s just been very rewarding to see Paris in her natural element. I feel like she found her passion at a young age, and she is really pushing forward with (her) goal for her foundation and what her vision is for the foundation,” Suber said.

Williams hopes to grow her Paris Cares Foundation so that she can expand her resources to needy people beyond the St. Louis community.


×