How can three 11 year olds change the holidays for hundreds of people this year? With sheer determination and technological aid. These kids decided they wanted to give to those in need and, with the help of YouGiveGoods, (a new e-commerce technology that uses the power of social networking), each of them met their goal. I wanted to share their incredible efforts here because I think these are amazing kids ( I hope my kids will have even an ounce of their motivation and selflessness). Plus, I wanted to share with you how kids now have a platform (via YouGiveGoods), where they can make a huge impact with just a little effort.
Here are their stories:
Kayla O’Neil’s Story
Kayla O’Neill, age 11 and self-professed animal lover, (who also happens to be my kids’ cousin), started a drive on YouGiveGoods for the Mt. Pleasant Animal Shelter in New Jersey. She asked people to purchase items the shelter needed right on her drive page. People could donate as little as $5 for animal food. Then, in a heartfelt offer to thank her drive contributors: Kayla sent each person a a copy of her hand-drawn picture (see below). This week, a truck from YouGiveGoods delivered all the contributions to the shelter (bleach, food, garbage bags, cat litter) and then Kayla herself went to visit the shelter. In the photo above, she is pictured with the palettes of food that her drive brought in ($ 1,147 worth of supplies)! And, how about that dog in her arms?! Could you just scoop them both up?!
Kayla’s drive balloons to effect other kids
Chatham Day School, a private K-8 school that Kayla attended for a few years, found out about her drive. The leadership class at Chatham Day School was motivated by what Kayla was doing and started their own animal shelter drive (for a different shelter) and donated $660 worth of goods. Likewise, a 13 year old girl at Kayla’s middle school saw her drive and started her own animal shelter drive . And Kaitlyn Yourkoski, a student at Chatham Day, saw the Leadership Class drive and decided to start her own – to help the animal shelter that she and her family have adopted two pets from. Kaitlyn’s drive so far has donated $561 of goods!
Sean and Michael, sixth graders from Holland, Pennsylvania
Two eleven year olds want to make the world a better place
Friends Sean and Michael, sixth graders from Holland, Pennsylvania, decided that they wanted to help people in Bucks County. Here is what motivated them, in their own words. Sean:”I would like to make Bucks County a better place for all the poor and hungry people, especially children. Michael: “I hope we can help people who need food get it whenever they need it so that nobody has to go hungry, ever!” These determined friends began an online drive on the YouGiveGoods’ platform for the Food Pantry at Jesus Focus Ministry. They were able to motivate donors to purchase $1,071 worth of canned goods! You can Sean and Michael in the photo above organizing the food that was brought in as a result of their drive! I love that they not only worked on getting food into the pantry, they also went the extra mile to stock it!
These kids are models of what I want my children to be- I am so impressed and inspired by their dedication to helping others. Their drives affected other kids and the good deeds keep spreading. I noticed on the YouGiveGoods site that some parents of the students have begun their own drives- including getting their workplaces involved! How cool is that?! Kids motivating their parents at 11 years old?!
Some fabulous bloggers are doing drives on YouGiveGoods too. These drives are still running and you can contribute to them.
Anna Fader from Mommy Poppins: Anna is only $400 away from her goal to“Feed 10,000 Children This Holiday Season.”
Tina Sitzenger from Life Without Pink: Tina’s campaign is to help food pantry Philabundance- the largest food bank in Philadelphia.
Jo-Lynne Shane from Musings of a Housewife: is working to get food to her local community in Philadelpia through The Pottstown Cluster .
Melissa’s Chapman from The Staten Island Family has raised $550 for “Louie’s Legacy, a large animal shelter in Staten Island that she has worked with before. s
Carol Cain from NY City Mama has a goal to help people affected by HIV to get proper food through the Keith Haring Food Pantry in NYC. “