Thank you, Rotary Club, for inviting BL to share her inspiring journey. It was a wonderful opportunity to connect, reflect, and discuss the work being done in our community.
You can watch the full video of her talk on Facebook using this link . For those who prefer reading, the full transcript is available below.
I am Paul Harris fellow with the Rotary club of Brantford. Today i go to a luncheon and im sharing about you matter bags and my journey . This is my speech or talking part. I’m not good at writing or speaking about things but I try , because if we keep sharing our stories our journey and keep working together we can make a big difference together 
Good morning, I’m Brya.
In 2019, I wanted to do something to help people know someone cares about them. I thought, as a kid, “How can I afford to help?” See, I love art, crafts, making jewelry, and painting. I thought I could paint, sell some paintings, and make bags of needed items.
I sold 12 paintings and started my You Matter Bag project. The first bags were backpacks for Why Not Youth Center. Many youth couch-surf from one friend’s house to the next. By having a You Matter Bag, they had a snack and essential items for themselves.
The project grew, and I encouraged others to join me. I started my Facebook page, Ladybug Creations by BL, in December 2019. The community began helping with donations. I would keep You Matter Bags in my parents’ car. If I saw someone and felt I wanted to give them a smile, I would give them a bag.
I donated You Matter Bags to seniors’ centers, Soup for the Soul, the Salvation Army, and more places as well. A You Matter Bag can be a ziplock bag with socks, gloves, a snack, and some toiletries, or a backpack full of essentials. You can be creative with You Matter Bags, and anyone can make them. I’ve given thousands away over the years.
A You Matter Bag tells someone, “You matter,” in a world where people feel invisible.
In December of 2020, I met Pastor Jon from Compassion Ministries. Their church, Parkview, kind of adopted my program. They started helping me. With that began more outreach projects. We started doing free food giveaways, and in February of 2021, we launched the very first BL’s Little Free Pantries at 319 Sheridan St.
I cannot tell you how many lives a You Matter Bag or pantry has made a difference for.
I don’t give names in my stories, but here are a few examples:
One teen came to the pantry and said to my mom, “Is that your car?” My mom replied, “Yes.” The teen began to cry and explained to my mom she had been there the moment he was going to end his life. He was standing on a bridge, and my mom had stopped the car and began talking to him. He took off into the tree area, but my mom had left a You Matter Bag there that day too for him.
Another person said on another day, “You know those bags you put in here?” (meaning the pantry).
I said, “Yeah, do they help you?”
The guy said, “Yeah, I book a shower at that place, but I bring my own bag, and I don’t feel like a goof with nothing.”
Other times, it’s seeing a senior using the library to keep warm. A You Matter Bag can lift their spirits for sure.
Even making the You Matter Bags helps the person making the bag. It can feel helpless not knowing how to help others. “Do I look the other way? Do I give money? How can we even help when things cost so much?”
If, in that helpless moment of not knowing how to help, we remember we are all equal people deserving of love and kindness, we can make a You Matter Bag and give it away. The pure joy from giving impacts the giver’s self-esteem too.
We have a 70-year-old senior who makes You Matter Bags with her grandkids and great-grandkids. She is sharing the joy of giving with her family and helping those in need. She is passing on kindness and love to future generations.
It’s not always the big things. I can’t change the whole world in a moment, but I can make a moment better for someone with a You Matter Bag.
Since I started making You Matter Bags, this community has helped this kindness project grow.
With the help of my family and volunteers, the pantries are doing well and thriving. Let’s keep them doing well.
Our BL food locations are:
- 319 Sheridan
- 347 Fairview
- 90 Albion
- 2031 Chiefswood in Ohsweken
Our BL’s clothes pantries are:
- 88 Albion
- 319 Sheridan
Little Free Library:
- 319 Sheridan
We also contribute and offer help to:
- Scotland Pantry
- Paris Pantry
- Brantford Christian School Pantry
Goals:
- Eagle Place Pantry
- West Brant Pantry
We were invited in 2022 to use shared space at 47 Galileo Unit 1. We are truly blessed to have this space to share with West Glen Co-op Housing and the community. We do events here and food giveaways.
I’m happy you are here today to help make and donate You Matter Bags.
I’d be happy to answer any questions.
