SALINA, Utah — To help children facing food insecurity, a barber and his family are taking steps to make sure local students have the nourishment they need.
Devin Noyes and his wife Kiley run “The North Sevier County Backpack Club” out of the basement of Devin’s shop called Conviction Barber.
“I just found that service is a huge part of life,” Devin said.
The Backpack Club is a Sevier County nonprofit aimed at addressing childhood hunger.
Every week, Devin, Kiley, their children and volunteers fill more than 50 bags of non-perishable food and deliver the items to schools in the Salina area where administrators and teachers distribute them to children in need.
The food is meant to provide nourishment for children on weekends when school cafeterias are closed.
“Kids shouldn’t go hungry, adults can do something about it,” Kiley said. “It’s easy to say I am only one person. This is only one program. If it's only saving one person, it's worth it.”
Helping the community where he grew up is a big part of Devin’s life.
The name of his shop – Conviction Barber – has a double meaning.
“That comes from when I was younger, I made some choices and got into some legal trouble,” he said.
After serving time, he has turned his life around and now has the conviction to do good for others, by serving the community.
“Knowing that you can effect change, not just in that person, but it's also their whole future and their family and potentially their children,” he described. “It’s such a ripple effect - service and leading by example.”
Donations to The Backpack Club can be made here: 11 Million (backpackclub.org)
