We recently connected with Debbie Sharpe and have shared our conversation below.
Debbie, so good to have you with us today. We’ve always been impressed with folks who have a very clear sense of purpose and so maybe we can jump right in and talk about how you found your purpose?
Finding my purpose has been an ongoing and educational experience beginning with an early childhood recognition of a deep love and compassion for animals. I have been fortunate enough to be able to foster that experience through my work as Community Outreach Coordinator for Don’t Forget to Feed Me Pet Food Bank. I have been able to serve my community by helping facilitate the distribution of free pet food to the residents of the greater Fort Worth area. Don’t Forget to Feed Me provides pet food to local food pantries, Meals on Wheels programs and low-income senior citizen centers. I have become quite the nurturer as a mother of 4 (now adult) children and close to a dozen pets that have had the good fortune of becoming part of our household. This does not include the several strays and foster dogs that my family and I have taken in and assisted in placing in forever homes. I consider and treat my pets as compassionately as I treat my children. I have always tried to be an advocate for the underdog whether that be human or animal, but specifically animals who have no voice or say in their treatment by humans. I try not to miss the chance to educate someone who otherwise may not know how to properly treat or care for animals. This love and concern, combined with my community work through Don’t Forget to Feed Me will hopefully lead to more empathetic treatment of animals in the Fort Worth community and beyond.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
I have had the good fortune to live in several different communities including Oklahoma City, Columbus, Ohio, Knoxville, Tennessee and even a small town in Japan where I had the opportunity to teach English as a second language to school age children. I did this after graduating from the University of Oklahoma. I have now lived back in Fort Worth, my city of birth, for 15 years. I was fortunate enough to be able to stay home with my children when they were young. This is an experience I’ll never trade though I now feel like I have found a perfect match in working with Don’t Forget to Feed Me Pet Food Bank for over 4 and a half years now. Through my position as Community Outreach Coordinator, I work with the many amazing volunteers who help in the success of our program. We have volunteers who bag pet food, help with the transport, pick up and delivery of the food, and assist in spreading the word about DF2FM in the community. I am also in constant contact with our growing number of regular distribution partners, helping facilitate and meet the needs of their programs and clients. I communicate and engage with the donors of our nonprofit organization who share in the success of our mission. We have over 60 pet food donation locations across the metroplex who I like to try to visit and engage with as well. Event planning is also a part of my job which involves communication and organization with the event host, volunteers and the community.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
I will never regret getting a college education. Though I ended up staying home with my children for many years versus heading into the workforce, nobody can ever take that accomplishment away from me. I have had the very good fortune of being able to travel around the world. In addition to my previously mentioned time spent living and teaching in Japan, I have traveled within Europe, Asia, Australia, Latin America with the unique experience of riding the Trans Siberian railway from Beijing to Moscow, with a stay in Mongolia. Travel is a full education in itself and I encourage all who have the opportunity to do it. My tendency towards compassion has led me to my work in social service. I think this is a quality that can be learned but I am forever grateful that it has come naturally to me over my lifetime.
My advice for anyone early in their journey is to take advantage of opportunities. I look at everyday things as a potential learning experience or opportunity. I believe that things happen and people and things are put on our paths for a reason. We should always take pause and consider even the most mundane experience.
What do you do when you feel overwhelmed? Any advice or strategies?
We all know life can be overwhelming. It’s how you choose to face the challenge that determines the outcome. I have to look within myself first to decide how I will respond. For me, it has been taking time to assess the situation without overreacting or doing something too hastily. I have always used exercise as a means to clear my mind and put things in mental order. Focusing on physical and mental health is the foundation for creating success and calm in my world. You can’t be afraid or hesitate to ask for help when feeling overwhelmed. This is hard for me, but I’m slowly working on it. I also prefer being outside and observing nature. I love to watch birds and small animals as they are living their lives, wondering what their small journeys entail.
Contact Info:
- Website: dontforgettofeedme.org
- Instagram: @df2fm
- Facebook: facebook.com/DF2FM
- Twitter: @df2fm
