Brewton, AL, August 31, 2015 /PressReleasePing/ - After walking more than 2,000 miles in 2004 and 2005 to spread awareness about the plight of hunger in the United States, Eleze "Lisa" Thomas-McMillan wanted to share her mantra –no one should ever have to go hungry – with the world. Her new memoir, "Living Fulfilled: The Infectious Joy of Serving Others," imparts her unique experiences and insights, the importance of random acts of kindness and practical pointers for making a difference in the world.

"For the past 17 years, I have had the privilege of living my dream," said Thomas-McMillan, now the owner of the Carlisa Food Bank. "My philosophy is this: if we all live for one another instead of for ourselves, no one will go hungry or have to endure the many sufferings that accompany a life of poverty. That's why I decided to write this book – I want more people to recognize that even small efforts can make a huge difference in someone else's life."

In her memoir, Thomas-McMillan shares her journey of growing up as a black child in Brewton, Ala. with 14 people squeezed into a six-room wooden house. Her dad worked three jobs to support the family, which didn't have anything to donate – except for kids. All 12 children learned the value of helping others from an early age by assisting others in their community: "My parents were strict, but they lived and toiled for us, and we were all expected to do our share. Their practical love left an impression deep inside of us that we were cherished, and that love meant sacrifice and hard labor," she wrote while discussing challenges with personal freedom, skin color, seeing the world and coming home again.

Thomas-McMillan was inspired to take her first hike for hunger prevention by the words of "I Wanna Go Home" by Michael Buble: "I know why you could not come along with me; this was not your dream, but you always believed in me." She realized the dream was hers and that the simple act of walking could raise real awareness about hunger.

"Living Fulfilled" also follows her walk from Brewton to Washington, D.C. to address the state of the poor and the death penalty in Alabama as well as the abundance, kindness and a few natural disasters she encountered along the way. Thomas-McMillan recounted, "If someone had told me 20 years ago that I would walk more than 900 miles for hunger and a moratorium on the death penalty, I would have laughed and told that person there was no way. Sure, there had been some tough moments—aggressive dogs, the vehicle that tried to run me off the road, the van breaking down—but the response had been largely positive. Of all the people that God could have chosen for this trip, I felt so blessed and special that He had chosen me."

Some additional tips for supporting others and making a positive difference in the world include:

Give where you can, when you can.
Take the time to acknowledge and show interest in others.
Offer non-financial help such as your time, a certain skill or clothing to help others.
Remember the homeless and the convicted.
Start a joy revolution.

Thomas-McMillan recounted a teacher who had said, "The more you do . . . the more you're able to do. The less you do, the less you're able to do. Don't just admire what others do . . . do something!"

About "Living Fulfilled"
Published in 2015, "Living Fulfilled: The Infectious Joy of Serving Others" was written by Eleze "Lisa" Thomas-McMillan, an advocate for feeding the hungry and ensuring that everyone has a place at the table. Thomas-McMillan is the owner of the Carlisa Food Bank in Brewton, Ala. For more information or to order a copy of "Living Fulfilled," please visit http://www.pleasebelievepeoplearehungry.com/

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Press Contact:
Lisa Thomas/McMillan
Carlisa, Inc.
1198 old Castleberry Road Brewton, AL 36426
2517272411
http://www.pleasebelievepeoplearehungry.com