Dorothy Juana
Marlene Doolen
Edie Abramczyk
Kasey Nickelston
Rich Mullins-2
Ashraya Ananthanarayanan
At an age when most children are discovering their gifts, Ashraya Ananthanarayanan is using her’s to change the world. Only 8 years old, Ashraya has already helped people, animals, and the environment. Her work shows us that anyone can take action to change the world.
Since the age of four, Ashraya has been using her gifts of music, dance, and the written word to affect change upon the world. Her first trick was raising funds for underprivileged kids in India at age four. She followed this up with with a dance recital to raise funds for cancer research. From there, her performances have helped orphans through the Krishnalyer Foundation; animals through the Karunashram Foundation; battered women in rural india through SEWAA; and even convincing officials at her school to stop an insect collecting program, and find alternative means of teaching.
Besides her work raising money for various charities, Ashraya has written articles for PETA, Amazing Kids, DimDima, SOHAM, and many others. She has also written a book on compassion called, The Ring of Hope, which contains stories from the organizations she has contributed to, and real life stories from other individuals. The proceeds from the book will benefit an orphanage and PETA.
Though young, Ashraya Ananthanarayanan has used her various gifts to benefit of others. She has raised money and used her voice to help everyone from cancer patients to battered woman to orphans to turtles to anyone and anything that needs a hand. However, her greatest gift is her compassion for others, and the inspiration she gives us all to make a change to the world around us.
Anna Wherry-2
Jeannie Gallina
When people are in an impossible situation, they look for someone to lead them out of their circumstance. However, not even Jeannie Gallina suspected what she could do to help the people of Clay County, FL. By founding The Way Free Medical Clinic, Jeannie found a way to provide healthcare for those with no other resources.
Many people in Clay County, Florida were living without access to affordable healthcare or health insurance. Despite being employed, it was not an affordable option for them. Even worse, county programs that provided prenatal care to expectant mothers were cut due to budget constraints. After attending a Justice of the Peace retreat sponsored by the Diocese of St. Augustine, Ms. Gallina was inspired to change this. Despite being told her vision was impossible, Jeannie knew it could happen.
Through humble means, Jeannie started her clinic. At first, it was only one day a month, slowly convincing local medical professionals and volunteers to give them time. Over time she has partnered with many local medical facilities to provide primary care and other medical service for free or at a reduced cost. Now with a volunteer staff of over 150 doctors, nurses, administrative staff, and translators, the clinic serves over 100 people the 8 days it is open during the month. People who couldn’t afford healthcare before, now have access to exceptional healthcare.
The clinic also aids the local hospital by reducing the number of people who visit the emergency room due to no other healthcare options being available. Despite not having any experience in the medical field or experience running a nonprofit, Jeannie Gallina saw a need, and knew there was a way to make sure it was met.
Andrew Runyan
The College of William and Mary chapter of The Campus Kitchens Project is making an inspiring difference in the Williamsburg, Virginia community.
The Campus Kitchen at William and Mary (CKWM) uses existing resources to meet hunger and nutritional needs in the community. The student-run volunteer group takes excess food from local area restaurants and grocery stores, turns the collections into healthy meals and repackages them to deliver to low income families in the Williamsburg, VA area.
In addition to serving meals, CKWM also holds weekly afterschool programming called Fun at Five for the children at a nearby apartment complex, which enables the college students to build authentic relationships with community members.
CKWM is more than just a student organization. The Campus Kitchen has taken the steps to be a major contributor to the hunger relief efforts in the Williamsburg community. In addition to building relationships with local pantries, the group has made deeper connections with the individuals they serve and the community at large.
Andrew Runyan, an AmeriCorps VISTA, working with the program shared, “To us, the people we serve are more than just clientele; they are our friends and neighbors. Our work at The Campus Kitchen at William and Mary, helps to break down socioeconomic and racial barriers and, in the process, builds community.”
CKWM also empowers college students with leadership opportunities in planning menus, recovering food, running cooking shifts, organizing deliveries, and advocating for hunger relief efforts.
Timmy Siverd, a student leader for CKWM, describes the student perspective of this dynamic, "What makes our Campus Kitchen truly unique is the tight bond the members share with each other and our subsequent desire to make positive change…So often college students can get insulated in their campus and 'forget' that an entire community that is full of need lives right outside the campus's border. By bringing students into the community we serve, we are not only helping alert students to the pressing needs of our community, but also fostering in them a desire to serve throughout their life."