By Leigh Clifton

Senior Center Supervisor Sue Frank, (left) Elizabeth Brown-Worthington (center) and Services Coordinator Cynthia Dean are almost hidden by the mounds of foods collected by Elizabeth at her twelfth birthday party. Accepting donated canned goods in lieu of presents, she then donated all of the food to the Senior Center Food Pantry.

For their twelfth birthday, most little girls are thinking about dolls and presents, games and double -tiered chocolate cake with butter cream frosting. But the invitations for Miss Elizabeth Brown-Worthington’s twelfth birthday read a little differently than most. In addition to directions and the party’s time, hers included one significant request; that all of the guests bring a non-perishable food item or canned good, in lieu of a present for her birthday. When you have 120 guests for a party; that can translate into a LOT of food.
Ms. Brown-Worthington, whose uncle is former Vice-Mayor Bob Worthington, said she had gotten the idea after she saw that the C.E.R.T team donated a gift of $200.00 to the Gulfport Senior Center Food Pantry. “I don’t need gifts,” she said matter of factly, with a smile. “I have a lot of stuff and I realized that the Pantry was running really low on goods. They really needed the help. I have two other friends whose birthdays are close to mine. They donated food as well.”
Those goods often provide the only food some needy Gulfport families will have for a meal at one time or another.
Canned soups, vegetables, meats and fish, noodles of every kind, even Girl Scout cookies were overflowing from two gated wagons that Elizabeth presented to Senior Center Supervisor Sue Frank and Services Coordinator Cynthia Dean.
Says Sue Frank, “She’s amazing and we here are all really touched by her generosity. She’s a very special young lady and we’re very grateful for the help.”
Cynthia Dean agrees.
“Elizabeth is very unique; the fact that she used her birthday as a way to raise food for our pantry is really wonderful. And we really need the help, now more than ever.”
Dean says that the pantry used to serve maybe three to four people during a week. Now the amount has increased immensely, with more and more young families as well as single people stopping by for essentials. The demand has all but emptied their pantry shelves.
“The need is great and it is sad, but we are very proud to be able to offer help to Gulfport residents. Our only criteria is that they must be a Gulfport city resident. People have told us that they enjoy donating to us because they know the assistance goes directly the people of Gulfport.”
What’s next for Gulfport’s youngest philanthropist?
“I’d like to do this for every birthday,” Elizabeth says with a wide smile.