WS Chronicle

Kyndall Williams has always had a heart for giving back according to her mother April Reich.  Not only does she give back through her nonprofit foundation, The Kyndall Project, but she has also written two books while only being a rising sixth grader.

The Kyndall Project, which was started January 2016, provides year round nutritional healthy snacks, gently used books, school supplies and backpacks to low-income families, schools and shelters.  Kyndall believes that children should never go hungry when they leave school and should always have access to books to enhance their learning and to expand their minds.

The 11-year-old is a soon-to-be middle school student at Forsyth Academy and wrote her first book at the age of 7.  She says everything started out as a school project but as she noticed the tremendous need of certain students, she and her mother decided to start the Kyndall Project, which took off at a rocket pace.

“I wanted to help kids with school supplies and book bags because I saw people in our community who did not have that, so I decided to make a school project out of it and out of that came the Kyndall Project,” Williams said.  “When I saw that some kids didn’t have what they needed for school, I wanted to help them with that.”

Her books,”How Tara the Turkey Escaped Being Thanksgiving Dinner” and “Sara’s School HAIR Blues” came about after her mother challenged her to express her thoughts in a book that could help other students.

On Aug. 12, the Kyndall Project will hold its second annual “Back to School Jam” at Rupert Bell Park from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.  Last year they were able to bless 160 children with backpacks (with school supplies), healthy snacks, free food and ice cream and more. 

This year the project is on track to increase the number of backpacks given away to over 400, along with free haircuts and hairstyles for little girls and boys to get them ready to start the new school year.

Kyndall’s mother says she saw the potential in Kyndall as a young child.  She said Kyndall is a straight-A student with a heart for others.  Reich, who is also the foundations executive director, says she put her career on hold to make sure the Kyndall Project reaches its full potential.  Reich says they pray every day and keep God in mind with everything they do with the Kyndall Project.

“Without God, we have nothing,” Reich said.  “Whatever we have going on, we always seek God first.  People sometimes say we may not get as many donations because we are faith-based, but my God tells me anything can happen.  If they don’t like it, someone else will love it.”

Kyndall is also interested in acting as well as being an accomplished dancer.  She dances with Positive Image Performing Arts (PIPA).  She and her mother are thankful for the dance studio and the parents for their continued support of the Kyndall Project.  They also say they are thankful for their sponsors for their contributions as well.

Williams says she wants to continue to grow the Kyndall Project to help as many children as possible.  She said it makes her feel good inside to know that she is helping another person.  She and her mother eventually would like to include arts, travel and literacy all together to expose the kids in the foundation to more that what they see in their own communities.

“I really like helping people and when people tell me thank you, I like it,”  she said.  “I want the foundation to expand and continue to help more people each year.”

Kyndall says she would like to become a dancer or a doctor when she grows up, but first wants to graduate from Harvard University.