Change Lives

A Call to Action

In 2007, Jenn Snyder’s hometown of Uniontown, Ohio, was devastated by the murder of Jessie Davis and her unborn daughter. The only witness to the attack was Jessie’s two-and-a-half year-old son, Blake, who was left alone in his house for two days before he was discovered by his grandmother. Thousands of people from Jenn’s small town worked with national search organizations to comb through a vast area, and police were finally led to the body of Jessie Davis. She had been in her final weeks of pregnancy. Jenn, watching a news conference on CNN about the case, saw the announcement that they had found the body of Jessie Davis, and Blake’s father had been charged with her murder as well as that of their unborn daughter Chloe. Jenn’s first thought was of Blake: “This little boy has no mom or dad now.” Her second thought was that she had to do something to help him.

Within hours, she had created the idea for Blake’s Bright Tomorrow, a trust fund for Blake’s college education. Within two weeks, she organized a community fair fund-raiser, and a few important phone calls inspired Countrywide Mortgage to donate a house to Blake’s grandmother where she would raise him. Jenn worked with the Homebuilder’s Association Serving Portage and Summit Counties (Ohio), who organized 120 men and women who volunteered over 90 days to gut the house and give it a complete home makeover, and stocking the home with furniture, appliances, and groceries. Everybody worked hard to give the family the home of their dreams. Then, to ease the pain that came with the trial of Blake’s dad, Jenn arranged a trip for the family to Walt Disney World.

All of this was done USING ONLY HER PHONE, and asking everyone and anyone who would listen for any help that they could give.

From a woman who baked 700 cookies to sell at the fundraiser, to the LeBron James Family Foundation’s involvement, everyone did what they could to help this little boy and his family. This volunteerism has not only helped Blake’s family, it has helped the volunteers. Many are now filled with a passion to help others, and see life differently as not a place where days are filled with daily chores, but where possibilities exist to make a change for the better. Jenn has established this website to tell not only her stories of making a difference, but to give space for others who have heard the call to help as well. From viewing these stories, Jenn hopes that readers will be inspired to help and join where they live, and around the world.