Charlotte author offers alternative to apathy
by Alison Woo
Turn on the news and it’s easy to see why some feel there’s nothing to be done about the misery of the day. But instead of turning away, one tragic news story about a young child whose mother was killed touched the heart of a Charlotte woman and became the touchstone for a movement.
Jenn Snyder was living her day-to-day life as the executive director of The Hood Hargett Breakfast Club, a Charlotte business networking association, when she watched a press conference on CNN. Ohio police officers were sharing details about the disappearance of Jesse Davis, whose 2-year-old son Blake was left alone in the home for two days after she was allegedly murdered by the child’s father.
Snyder felt she needed to do something.
“In that moment, I knew I had to do something for this little boy whose life had been changed forever,” Snyder wrote in her new book, “Don’t Change the Channel.” “I heard the call, felt the conviction and there was no turning away. There was no going back to my busy life without making an attempt to alleviate some of this family’s suffering.”
Her work to make this young life better became a clarion call for a community. Soon thousands of dollars and donations flooded in to a trust fund she set up called “Blake’s Bright Tomorrow.”
The donations were enough to buy Blake and his grandmother a new home and create a nest egg for his future.
An attitude of gratitude
What makes two people who watch the same events unfold take different paths? Snyder credits her positive attitude as something inborn, an interesting take for someone who was adopted at birth.
“My whole life looked at the glass half full; I am an eternal optimist and when terrible things happen I think we can turn it around,” she said. “I could see the good in something. That has been my mindset throughout life. I have always felt blessed and thought what my birth mother gave me was the most unbelievable gift of kindness.”
Snyder said her adoptive parents offered her a solid foundation. She remembers looking around at age 6 and being grateful for having a roof over her head and a hot meal on the table.
“All these caring things in my life weave back into just feeling glad I wasn’t an orphan and had all these great opportunities,” she added.
Snyder’s experiences helped her realize a key lesson: Everyone can do something no matter what. As executive director of the Hood Hargett Breakfast Club, she corralled resources to help coordinate and plan the club’s famed annual breakfast as an event to honor servicemen and in honor of Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department Officers Sean Clark and Jeff Shelton, who were shot and killed responding to a call March 31 2007.
The breakfast raised $30,000 and was a source of healing for the community.
“I’ve learned that when you see an opportunity, and you’re in the position to do what you can, you must,” she said.
Passing it forward
Snyder said she never intended to write a book. “When I thought about what all passed with Blake’s story, I wanted to help and I knew there was more to this,” she said. “This movement showed me the true goodness in humanity. People want to help but they need a bit of direction and someone to give them a task. That was what had spawned me to do the book.”
The author suggests that for those who feel motivated, asking yourself some simple questions can start to inspire you. Such as: What are you good at? What is your family good at? What are your connections? What are you passionate about?
The barrier most people face, Snyder said, is thinking the task is overwhelming. “People think ‘I’m one person. What can just one person do?’ We have to change our mentality and incorporate this idea that we all matter into our lifestyle. See with your eyes but more importantly, see with your heart.”
The book, which offers numerous profiles of people who have done just that, also serves as a model, especially for young people to engage in their communities and get involved. Part of Snyder’s outreach includes motivational speaking and a character education curriculum for schools, an idea she’s very excited about.
“It’s not just about young people, it’s about all people,” she said. “If you’re unemployed, if you’re under employed or even if you have a job, there’s at least one thing you can do. It’s on all of us to make a difference. Know that we all matter; that’s the key.”
To order the book or for more information, visit www.dontchangethechannel.com/.
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