THE LONG-TIME and much-beloved children’s television host, Fred Rogers, often spoke about the importance of helping others on his public television show, “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood.” In his own life, Rogers was encouraged by his mother to “look for those helping” when things seemed troublesome in the world around him.
“When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping,’” Rogers once said.
Sixteen-year-old Emorie Osborne is one such helper who has learned the importance of helping, thanks to her mother, Mary Osborne, and their nonprofit, Good Deeds KY. Good Deeds KY is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) based in Bowling Green with a mission of “doing good deeds for others, expecting nothing in return.”
While only a nonprofit since 2020, Good Deeds KY has been doing good things for Bowling Green residents for the past eight years. As a very determined kindergartner, Emorie decided it was time for her and her classmates to come together and get involved. The rest, as they say, is history — along with a whole lot of helping.
Small Beginnings, Big Heart
The story of Good Deeds KY has a unique beginning that started in 2016.
“Emorie was in kindergarten, and she had sisters in the fourth and sixth grades,” explained Emorie’s mother, Mary. “At Alvaton Elementary School, they didn’t have any clubs for kindergarten through third grade. Emorie didn’t like hearing her sisters talking about what clubs they were going to be in, especially when she couldn’t join. I suggested to her that we do something about it. At first, she didn’t know what she wanted to do — she just wanted to do something.”
After a few weeks of debating, Emorie and Mary decided that a club that helped others was an excellent place to start.
“It started in kindergarten, and she only allowed kindergarten to third grade students — because, you know, that was the whole reason why she wanted it,” she said. “And to this day, Alvaton [Elementary] only has kindergarten to third graders that can be a part of the club.”
Mary said around 100 students became involved with the club for various age-appropriate acts of kindness.
“In the beginning, we would do cards for veterans on Veterans Day, socks and letters for those in the nursing home — also letters of encouragement for the homeless that would be left in area shelters,” she added.
Mary said that while the younger students have continued to do those smaller acts of kindness, over the years, the organization has grown and created the opportunity for all ages to lend a helping hand.
Growing and Giving
The club has now grown to include additional schools, such as Cumberland Trace Elementary and Western Kentucky University, with 150 members in its Good Deeds KY club on campus. Mary stated that they’ve also recruited additional volunteers and community partnerships, such as with the American Legion, enabling the group to reach even more people in need.
“It has manifested into so much more,” Mary explained. “We can provide beds for homeless veterans that have obtained housing. We have partnered with school systems to help provide students’ families with basic needs that they may not have or have access to. We work with caseworkers, social workers, and both women and men in recovery. We’re not an upgrade system. We’re a system that if you don’t have anything, we’ll help get what you need.”
The club’s rapid growth led to its becoming an official nonprofit in 2020.
“We became a nonprofit because we were growing and gaining more support, and we couldn’t accept the support without being a nonprofit,” Mary said. “It’s a fantastic problem to have. There is something about doing for someone else and expecting nothing in return. You are just doing it to be a positive light and to give someone a helping hand.”
What’s Next?
Mary said the next five years for the organization look to be years of growth.
“In the next five years, we expect to be bigger. We would love for there to be more of these clubs in schools. I think it’s important to teach kids what it means to give and that giving can mean more than just donating money. ‘Giving’ is sometimes your time and effort.
We would also love to see Good Deeds grow in our community and be able to service more counties around us. We currently service the counties around us, but it’s limited because of our resources.
“I didn’t know that it would turn into this, but I’m not surprised because there’s a need for it, and once you see it and you feel it, it’s hard not to want to help and do some good. It’s amazing work. We’re blessed to get to do it. We have a fantastic community that supports us.”
She also added that, just as in the beginning, Emorie will continue to lead the charge to help as many as she can with a good deed.
“She has a serving heart,” Mary said. “It just is a way of life for her, and I’m proud that she’s continued this and continues it. It’s just her mindset.” GN
