ESCAMBIA COUNTY - Manna Food Pantries provides food for those who can't afford it.

The organization recently decided to recruit a young person for their board of directors.

Manna contacted the teen volunteer group, Chain Reaction and in walked a 16 year old ready to serve and learn.

But, *we could all get a lesson from the young Angels In Our Midst.

Tim Evans, Manna Food Pantries; An amount of maturity that's not common in a young man his age. A degree of responsibility of making commitments and following through with that.

Those are the characteristics that make Terry Strickland an invaluable member of the Board Of Directors For Manna. He is 16 and the first teenager to hold a board position.

Terry Strickland, Manna Board of Directors; I've been given a great opportunity and I definitely feel like I have a responsibility to do something with it.

So, every Wednesday, he comes to work in Manna's organic garden. The agency grows food to sell at market. They'll use the money to buy non-perishibles to feed the community's hungry. Toiling in the garden is "Not" where you find your typical volunteer board member.

Terry; I really just wanted to be involved with every aspect of Manna so that I could, you know, tell people what it is that the organization does when they ask. If I'm on the board, you know, "Well, what do you actually do?" I wanted to be able to tell them.

Adam Smith, Chain Reaction Volunteer; He's got like a really good heart. Whenever he sees people that need food or he sees a cause, he just really gets into it.

Another mark of leadership; his ability to inspire others to follow his lead.

Lexi Papadelias, Chain Reaction Volunteer; He actually came and found me at my job yesterday and hunted me down and told me to come.

I'm sorry guys. I always feel sorry when I mess up an ant mound...

Lexi; He just steps up when nobody else will. He's just really passionate about everything.

Adam; He doesn't talk down to you. He just treats you like a friend, like an equal. You just work with him, not under him.

Terry; I just want to do what I feel is right. I guess, if people follow, that's great.

Terry and his followers also put in time at Manna's warehouse sorting and shelving the food. This is where they get to see some of the clients who benefit from their efforts.

Terry; It's work that is measurable, you know. You can see it as you're doing it. You can kind of see the difference. It's very immediate, I guess. Gives you a sense that you're actually accomplishing something.

Tim; It let's me know that the future is in good hands.Angels In Our Midst "Terry Strickland"