ASHLEY TERRY
More than six months have passed since the Azle and Springtown communities lost a shining light known as Hannah Baker — but her mission is just getting started.
During the Sept. 15 Azle City Council meeting, Mayor Randa Goode proclaimed Oct. 9 — what would have been Hannah’s 30th birthday — Hannah Baker Day, in recognition of a life marked by “compassion, generosity and a deep commitment to helping others.”
Hannah, who died in February, found great joy in serving the community — even while facing her own health challenges. Despite the obstacles she faced, she never let them stand in the way of spreading positivity and helping others in need.
“Hannah believed no one should go to bed hungry and devoted herself to filling local blessing boxes alongside her mother, Stacy Baker,” Goode said, reading from the proclamation. “She inspired others through her simple belief that if everyone gave a little, together we could do a lot of good.”
The day after Hannah’s death, her loved ones got together to continue her mission. Traci Day, a close friend of the family, created an Amazon wish list inviting others to either purchase food items that would be distributed to blessing boxes in Azle and Springtown or to fill blessing boxes in their own communities.
“People are kind of honored to carry it on for her. We initially had set up a wish list on Amazon … The list was cleared in four days,” Day previously told The Azle News. “It’s just been big. It’s so remarkable how one person can inspire so many people to want to help somebody else.”
Since then, an outpouring of support through donations made in Hannah’s memory has provided thousands of dollars’ worth of food for blessing boxes throughout Azle, Springtown, the Dallas-Fort Worth area and beyond.
Today, Hannah’s legacy continues through the efforts of Hannah’s Helpers, a community food initiative dedicated to stocking local blessing boxes and little free pantries in Azle, Springtown, Pelican Bay and the surrounding Dallas-Fort Worth area.
Hannah’s Helpers hopes to hold the food drive around Hannah’s birthday each year, continuing her tradition of asking for food donations instead of gifts.
“For her birthday for the last several years, instead of presents, Hannah has asked people to donate food instead, and this year we are,” Day said in a previous article. “I think that we'll continue to do this for years to come.”
From now until Oct. 10, Hannah’s Helpers is hosting a food drive in honor of Hannah’s 30th birthday, with community members encouraged to either donate 30 items or $30.
The food drive will conclude with a community celebration from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, Oct. 10, at Lighthouse Harbor Church, 1960 Long Circle in Pelican Bay. Attendees can drop off donations, enjoy a cupcake, make a notecard for a snack bag and spend time with Hannah’s family and friends.
“I just want to thank everybody who has donated,” Stacy Baker said during the council meeting. “Hannah loved helping people and being a part of the community.”
Since the launch of Hannah’s Helpers, Stacy Baker said three local blessing boxes have been dedicated in her daughter’s honor: two from businesses — Prep & Crave Co. and Neal Legal, P.C. — and one from the city of Pelican Bay.
While the last several months have been tough on the Baker family, Stacy Baker said she wouldn’t have been able to continue Hannah’s mission without the help of her good friend, Traci Day.
“Without Traci, I would not know what to do with myself,” she said. “She is so very much appreciated by me that none of my words do her the justice she deserves. She drove daily to visit Hannah while she was in the hospital, and she has been beside me daily these past seven months dedicating hours and hours to Hannah’s mission of no one going hungry. She helps me with everything, and I appreciate that.”
Nonperishable food items most needed for the food drive include peanut butter, canned meat, Chef Boyardee, macaroni and cheese, fruit cups, cereal, snacks and drinks.
Those who wish to donate food can drop off donations at any of these locations:
- Prep & Crave Co., 128 Park Place, Azle
- Alvin Ord’s Sandwich Shop, 400 E. Highway 199, Springtown
- Woodard Builders Supply, 6405 Airport Freeway, Fort Worth
- Lake Lodge Nursing & Rehabilitation, 3800 Marina Drive, Lake Worth
- MANE hair co., 3001 E. Highway 199, Springtown
- Attic Rerun Resale Shop, 714 Southeast Parkway, Azle
Monetary donations are also accepted through PayPal at [email protected], Venmo at Traci-Day-3 or Zelle at Stacy Baker, 817-703-5309. An Amazon wish list can also be viewed here.
For more information or to arrange a donation pickup, contact Traci Day at 817-944-5536 or Stacy Baker at 817-703-5309.
