Nonprofit Gives Away Over 100,000 Free Face Masks and Over 120,000 pounds of Food Across the Southeast United States
Police Officer starts nonprofit to help flatten the curve of COVID-19 and help residents in three neighboring states across the southeast US with basic needs.
Lane Harper is a critically acclaimed actor in an off-Broadway stage play, and the movie “Justice on Trial: The Movie,” where he portrays civil rights activist, Medgar Evers. Although he loves being an actor, his first love and main passion is giving back.
He is a Humanitarian that attended Alabama State University majoring in Criminal Justice. Harper holds a Black Belt in Karate. He also teaches self-defense classes and provides security training to law enforcement organizations and private entities around the country. Harper is currently a police officer and serves as an Instructor/Trainer for the Birmingham Police Department. He has served in the law enforcement field for more than 20 years. He is a member of the following organizations:
• The Fraternal Order of Police (FOP)
• The National Organization for Black Law Enforcement Executives (N.O.B.L.E.)
• Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity
• Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Alabama
After years of funding his own acts of service, Harper created the Power of Life Foundation, a nonprofit organization, to expand his mission to provide basic human needs for those needing help in the Birmingham area, and throughout the southeastern region of the United States. The Power of Life Foundation services those in need of help with housing, food, clothing/shoes, disaster relief, COVID-19 PPE, and youth mentoring.
Since the pandemic began, the Foundation’s mission has been focused on a new life saving initiative, “It’s COOL to be Covered.” This initiative hosts Drive Thru Free Face Mask & Free Food Giveaways. These FREE giveaways encourage the public to wear face masks to help reduce the spread of the COVID-19 virus in their school systems and surrounding communities. We also provide free food for those who need it.
The Power of Life Foundation serves citizens in Alabama, Florida and Georgia. To date the Foundation has given away more than 100,000 free reusable cloth face masks, and over 120,000 pounds of food across the southeast United States.
The Foundation most recently resolved to help the children of the McCall Family to provide basic needs for them. The McCall children lost both of their parents to COVID-19 last fall, and are being raised by their aunt in Birmingham, AL.
Harper has been recognized for his works and his Foundation’s efforts by several media outlets for his acts of kindness and support in the community. In November 2019, Lane Harper received the prestigious Wettermark Keith First Responder Hero Award. In 2020, he received a COVID-19 Hero Award from the Birmingham Times, a Civic Leader Award from Wilkerson Middle School, the Hometown Hero Award from 98.7 Kiss FM and Mountain Dew, and the ESPN Celebration Bowl Hero of the Week Award.
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“He Kept Going When No One Was Watching — And That Changed Everything”
No one ever noticed the days he almost gave up. There were no messages asking if he was okay. No one wondered why he became quieter. No one asked how much effort it took just to keep going. To the world, he was just another ordinary man. His name was Ayaan. Ayaan’s life didn’t collapse in one dramatic moment. It slowly faded. Missed opportunities. Rejected ideas. Silent disappointments. Every failure was small, but together they became heavy. He had dreams once. Big ones. Dreams that kept him awake at night, imagining a future where his hard work would finally matter. But over time, those dreams began to feel unrealistic—almost embarrassing. People around him seemed to move forward effortlessly. They celebrated promotions, achievements, and milestones. Ayaan watched from the side, smiling politely while feeling invisible. At work, his efforts were ignored. Among friends, his voice faded. At home, expectations weighed heavily on him. Slowly, a dangerous thought settled into his mind: “Maybe I’m not good enough.” That thought followed him everywhere. It followed him on crowded buses. It followed him into sleepless nights. It followed him every time he tried again and failed. One night, after scrolling through endless success stories online, Ayaan closed his phone and stared at the dark ceiling. His chest felt tight, not because of pain—but because of exhaustion. He whispered quietly, “How long do I keep trying?” There was no answer. But that night, Ayaan made a decision—not a loud one, not a confident one. A tired decision. He decided to keep going, even if nothing changed. The next morning felt the same. The same routine. The same doubts. The same fear of wasting his life. But Ayaan showed up anyway. He worked when no one praised him. He studied when no one guided him. He practiced when no one believed in him. Some days, motivation disappeared completely. On those days, discipline took over. He reminded himself: “I don’t need applause. I need progress.” Weeks passed. Nothing dramatic happened. No sudden success. No recognition. No miracle. But something subtle began to shift. Ayaan became calmer under pressure. He learned to sit with discomfort instead of running from it. He stopped comparing his journey to others. The silence that once scared him now became his training ground. Months later, a serious problem appeared at his workplace. It was complicated, risky, and easy to blame on someone else. Most people avoided it. Some pretended it wasn’t their responsibility. Ayaan didn’t announce himself. He didn’t seek attention. He simply started working. Late nights. Mistakes. Corrections. Learning. There were moments he wanted to quit. Moments when fear whispered, “You’re not ready.” But he answered back, “I’ll learn.” Slowly, the problem began to disappear. Not perfectly—but steadily. People noticed, quietly. One afternoon, his manager called him into the office. Ayaan expected criticism. Instead, he heard a question that stunned him: “Where did you learn all this?” Ayaan paused. How could he explain years of silent effort? How could he explain working when no one cared? He simply replied, “I kept going.” That moment didn’t change his life overnight. He didn’t become famous. He didn’t suddenly become successful. But it changed something far more important. His belief in himself. For the first time, Ayaan understood that life doesn’t always reward effort immediately. Sometimes, it watches. It watches who continues without praise. Who improves without recognition. Who grows in silence. Years later, Ayaan looked back at the version of himself who almost quit. The man who felt invisible. The man who thought no one was watching. And he smiled. Because he finally understood the truth: Life was always watching. Not to judge. Not to rush. But to see if he would keep going when it was hardest. The world doesn’t reward those who only work when they’re seen. It rewards those who build strength in silence. And sometimes, the moment that changes everything doesn’t come with applause. It comes quietly. After patience. After effort. After consistency. That is when everything finally begins to change. Final Message Keep going—even when no one is watching. Especially then.
By Inayat khan5 days ago in Motivation
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