It all started about a month ago when I shared a delicious Facebook post to First Coast News’ profile page.
It was a decadent five-layer brownie cookie cheesecake.
I lightheartedly captioned it “We will give a shout out to whoever makes this for us.” A few days later, a volunteer baker came forth.
We had no idea that her story was as deeply layered as the dessert she wanted to make for us.
The woman who contacted us was Amy Gandy, co-founder of Hands and Feet – a Jacksonville non-profit organization that helps at-risk youth, drug addicts and the homeless. Gandy said her sister, Faye Martin, is interested in cooking the dessert for us.
Gandy recalls, “So I was scrolling through Facebook one night and I saw that (post) and I was like, ‘wow that would be good just to get some recognition for Hands and Feet.’”
Gandy said her sister has been through a lot and she wanted to surprise her with the opportunity to bring attention to their organization.
The surprise
My coworker Melissa Guz, producer of First Coast Foodies, and I arrived at the Hands and Feet facility on the Westside on a recent afternoon to surprise Martin while she prepared the layered brownie cookie cheesecake.
She was confused at first as I walked into the kitchen holding my tripod and camera. She looked to her friends and family and said, “I love y'all. This is awesome, y'all.” She continued her baking.
That's when we learned what Martin had been through recently and we instantly knew this story was about much more than a decadent five-layer cake.
Angel wings
Nine years ago, Martin was taken to the hospital with chest pains. Doctors said oxygen levels in her lungs dropped too low and she had to be put on oxygen 24 hours a day.
She needed new lungs and would not survive without them.
About three years ago, her life was saved when a donor became available. She went to the hospital and prepared for the double lung transplant, which was successful.
I asked Martin if she ever met the family of the donor and she fought back tears.
“I wish I could,” she said. “I have 11 grand babies and I get to do things with them now, I don’t have to carry around an oxygen tank and I am so blessed. So blessed. I would love to meet them and tell them thank you, and I’m sorry they had to lose one, a son."
Martin said the donor was a 23-year-old man who died of a massive heart attack in a dentist's chair.
On her most recent visit to the hospital, the doctor told Martin her lungs are perfectly healthy. The only physical reminder of her emphysema are the scars on her back that she calls her "angel wings."
The youth
When in town, she helps her sister Amy at Hands and Feet where, among other things, she helps cook for their daily family lunches outside under the tent. They call everyone they help family. The help comes in the form of a hot meal, new clothes, and help graduating from high school, or even college.
No one in the organization receives a paycheck.
When asked the inspiration behind the organization, Amy Gandy said she is a recovering drug addict. Her husband, James, was an at-risk youth.
“The youth are the ones that are committing most of these crimes and the main goal is to get them before they get into our community,” Gandy said.
Hands and Feet has an afterschool program for at-risk youth. Gandy told us that in its first year, they had a child go from C's, D's, and F's to straight A's.
“Youth these days, they don’t care how they get the attention, they’re going to get it. And it’s better to have a place like this,” Gandy said. “We don’t charge the parents money. We take them on field trips all the time, and we’re with them until they graduate high school. ... we have some in college.”
Back to the station
We fulfilled our promise in our Facebook post and took the dessert back home to the First Coast News headquarters downtown. We can assure you and Hands and Feet that not one crumb was left behind.
The Hands and Feet organization is located at 7478 103rd St. They are always accepting of clothes, food and money donations.
You can reach out to them on Facebook here. Click here for more information.
Andrew Willis is a digital content producer for First Coast News. You can email him at awillis@firstcoastnews.com