Early in life, Sandra Holbrook Childs drew upon her formative love for home economics. Inspired by her grandmother, she went on to attend Georgia College & State University, receiving a Bachelor of Arts in vocational home economics in 1965. After receiving her bachelor’s degree, Ms. Childs entered the education sector as a teacher. Teaching students of all ages from elementary and junior high to high school, she concurrently furthered her own education. In 1975, she earned a Master of Arts in home economics from the University of Georgia. After several years, she returned to the University of Georgia, obtaining a Master of Arts in teaching children with learning disabilities in 1987.
During her tenure as a teacher, which spanned over three decades, Ms. Childs recognized that some students lived in poverty or poor living conditions. To this end, she sought to improve the lives of these students. Contacting Neighbors4Neighbors, Inc., to supply the children with necessary supplies to enhance their lives, she learned that the food bank did not distribute hygienic materials. From there, Ms. Childs approached her local church. Through her church, she gathered toiletry products for the underserved communities in her area. In the span of five years, her program grew to include not only toiletries but also diapers and other essential items necessary for a family’s growth and survival.
Since that time, Ms. Childs has dedicated her life to Neighbors4Neighbors, having also participated in various programs that included supplying students with backpacks of food for the weekends and collecting over 140 gift cards to gas stations for families who required them. Alongside her work with the food bank, she also served as a member of her local board of education between 2007 and 2015 and has volunteered with soup kitchens and programs that promote adult literacy.
Looking toward the future, Ms. Childs intends to continue her pioneering work with Neighbors-4Neighbors, as well as continue improving the lives of the community around her. When asked for advice to provide to the next generation, she states that it is integral to help those around you who require aid. Ultimately, she would like to be remembered as an individual whom her community can feel comfortable around and who dedicated her life to serving the needs of society.
