Please note that this is an Archived article and may contain content that is out of date. The use of she/her/hers pronouns in some articles is not intended to be exclusionary. Eating disorders can affect people of all genders, ages, races, religions, ethnicities, sexual orientations, body shapes, and weights.

This past week Center For Change held a community event to provide assistance to the Provo Community Action Foodbank. While working with the Foodbank volunteers, we were informed that for every $1 donated, they are able to provide 15 pounds of food for those in need. We realized not everyone would be able to make large monetary donations, but we wanted to make sure everyone would have the opportunity to participate. In the spirit of comradery, we held a Penny War to raise money. We split our company into 9 different teams. The rules of the Penny War were as follows: Pennies were positive points; all other currency was negative points. The ultimate goal was to have the most positive points at the end of the week.

The war started by placing one penny in a jar. From that penny, literally thousands of donations poured in. At the end of every day, we counted the donations in order to tally each team’s current points.   As we counted our coin collection, we took a moment and reflected that even a penny can make a difference and has great value. We get the opportunity to work with our clients for only a small moment in time. But one thing we teach them is that every day they have the opportunity to learn and gain new knowledge and they never lose that knowledge. Even making the smallest change in their road towards recovery will make a difference.  Sometimes we spend too much time looking at the end goal, and get overwhelmed, thinking that we need to make large changes. In actuality it’s the small, simple things that make our goals attainable. Sometimes just getting out of bed in the morning, asking for help and encouragement, or challenging our negative thoughts with a positive affirmation is that one penny that gives us the momentum towards success.

For Center For Change that initial lone penny raised over $1300 for those in need. It was people’s pocket change, coins found on the floor of a car, the rejected pennies found in cushions of the couch or in the parking lot that accounted for over $450. Without that one penny, none of this would have been possible.

Check out some pictures from the fun events!