Kirsten Young
Pilar Pinel
Pilar Pinel founded an organization called Embracing Latina Leadership Alliances (ELLAS). ELLAS is dedicated to the educational, professional and political advancement of underserved Latina youth.
Stephanie Clark
Stephanie founded Project Single Moms Worldwide, Inc. (PSM) to serve and empower women and girls to tap into their talents and passions to live their best lives ever. PSM is a national advocacy & empowerment movement designed to educate, engage, energize, equip and enhance the quality of life for single mothers and their children.
The Amanda Network
The Amanda Network works to bring more awareness and education on the issue of bullying. Ann Brownell founded The Amanda Network after her daughter, Amanda at 16 years old, tried to take her life in a bathroom at her High School in 2008 due to the bullying, sexual and cyber bullying she received the month before her suicide attempt.
Kevin Chaves
At just 14 years of age, Kevin Chaves in 2010 learned about the destruction the Gerald J Ryan Outreach Center, after the building had caught on fire. Kevin, at such a young age was able to organize and coordinate the reconstructing of the buildings much-needed shelves, with the help of his fellow eagle scouts.
Around the same time as the fire the Gerald J Ryan Outreach Center lost $40,000 in federal funding which was used to help feed local families with severe food insecurities. Kevin again stepped up to the challenge raising $10,870 dollars and collecting 9,650 lbs of non-perishable foods.
As summer came near, Kevin orchestrated and founded the “Let’s Move Healthy & Fit” initiative, which consisted of a full day of pool, basketball, racquetball, tennis, and the use of a playground. The initiative enticed over 150 children to get out and play.
With Kevin’s support, the Gerald J Ryan Outreach center was able to again transform the lives of many families, and act as a beacon of light to those in need of a helping hand.
Chris Wille
Chris Wille is a passionate member of his community. Chris often volunteers his time as a pre-school reader, in the SMART program (Start Making a Read Today), and with Head Start. He has also volunteered in the Early Start program helping local elementary school students get a good start to their day by assisting with crafts, games, and fitness activities. He is a beloved reader in the classroom and applies his acting talents to engage the children and bring the stories to life.
In addition to his support for literacy Chris volunteers his time driving a bus three days a week for the Ya-po-ah retirement apartment’s.
Nelda Copsey
In the summer or 2012 Nelda Copsey took over as the lead coordinator for the Summer Fair Truck Zone; an event she has volunteered for since its inception. The event is a compilation of music, food, youth events, and community organizations to celebrate the city of Springfield.
Nelda has a tremendous impact on her hometown of Springfield, OR and started her volunteer work for Willamalane Park and Recreation District in May of 2010.
In addition to Nelda’s time with Willamalane, she volunteers with Food for Lane County, The Eugene International Film Festival, the KLCC Microbrew Festival, and countless other local events. Nelda’s passion for life is evident in her work as a volunteer.
Leanne Joyce
Leanne Joyce began her philanthropic work by starting Positive Impact for Kids Inc. at the age of 11. Two years later the 501 (c) (3) is still running strong with a fully volunteer based board of directors. The Non-Profit is focused on raising money to provide children’s hospitals with items such as iPads, game systems, painted mural ceilings in treatment rooms, and interactive playrooms, with the idea of making the experience less daunting.
All of the funding for Leanne’s non-profit is through private contributions and operates on a minimal annual budget. She is adamant about maintaining the organizations website (positiveimpactforkids.org) and hopes to continuously make a difference in many children’s lives.
Peter A. Low
Peter A. Low has acted as a supportive force in his hometown of West Roxbury, MA and the neighboring communities. He’s been active with both Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts for over 13 years. He’s steered his troops towards organizing homeless shelter dinners, food drives, and clothing drives acting as a strong male figure to many children.
Peter organizes an annual Holiday party for underprivileged children at the local police station; the event has taken place 5 years in a row and has grown to the point of involving 75 attendees. In addition, Peter heads up another annual event on a much larger scale; it’s a 2,000+ person community-wide Halloween party done in collaboration with the local police department.
In lieu of a local tragedy involving the death of one of his scouts Peter arranged a professional training for suicide prevention. The training was a tool for local teens to take home with them and help make their everyday pressures more manageable.