Rising Stars: Bethalto Sisters Turn Bracelets Into Food For Blessing Boxes

BETAHALTO - Two young sisters in Bethalto spent part of July 2026 turning handmade bracelets into groceries for local blessing boxes, stocking food at several sites and planning to do more as supplies run low.

Rainah Deardeuff, 7, and Rylah Deardeuff, 3, sold handcrafted bracelets for $3 and also received donations for charities on July 25, 2026, at their home and in Bethalto, Illinois. Using the money they raised, the girls bought groceries for blessing boxes in the community.

The blessing boxes they stocked were at Lifebrook, the Bethalto Boys and Girls Club, and the Senior Citizens Building, their family said. They plan to monitor the boxes and buy more groceries for people in need when supplies run low.

The girls were nominated as Rising Stars in the region for their selfless efforts in the month of July 2026.

The girls' grandfather - Dan Cruz - said the girls’ effort was intended to help people who need food.

“My granddaughters raised money making bracelets to fill the blessing boxes in town. We just stocked up the ones by Lifebrook, the Boys and Girls Club and the Senior Citizens Building in town, and anyone in need of food items for the week,” Cruz said. “We hope it blesses someone who needs it and we encourage anyone who can help keep it stocked throughout the year.”

“Some of the money was just donations from people who said they like the idea of what they are doing, even if they weren’t really in it to buy bracelets,” Cruz said.

Morgan, the girls’ mother and Cruz’s daughter, said the family stocked all three boxes and plans to restock them.

“It looks like Morgan said they stocked all three of them - Lifebrook, Boys and Girls Club and the Senior Citizens Building with items and will be restocking them again in the next month or so,” he said.

Cruz also said he was proud of Morgan and the girls.

“I am very proud of both my granddaughters and daughter, Morgan. They are always looking to try to help people, not just in our community, but anywhere they see. Rainah is very active as a young person in her classroom helping out other kids, and Rylah is adapting to how Rainah is and following her in her footsteps. I can't even express how proud I am of both of them."

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