Nancy Trenbeth

There are daily activities that are so routine and so common that they are often taken for granted. Whether it’s as simple as brushing your teeth or washing your face, for those with disabilities, these daily activities can become difficult tasks.

Nancy Trenbeth has spent her entire career helping people with physical and cognitive hardships. She has personally witnessed a lack of opportunities and a lack of support for these people just because of their differences. As a former Special Education teacher for 37 years, Nancy now spends her time volunteering with Parkview Services.

Parkview serves those with unfortunate hardships by creating inclusive housing solutions to promote stability, opportunity, and community. When Parkview is not assisting with affordable housing or home ownership, one of their more popular programs is Camp Parkview.

Camp Parkview is a week-long camp that celebrates an environment of inclusion and acceptance. Over 60 campers with physical or developmental difficulties, join 40 volunteer camp counselors on Vashon Island. Just a ferry ride away from Seattle, on Puget Sound, Vashon Island is truly a thing of beauty. Campers as well as counselors are able to meet new friends and get reacquainted with some old ones, as they enjoy a week full of swimming, boating, hiking, dancing and singing.

“It’s wonderful to provide positive experiences for anyone you love, and that’s how I feel about all these people at the camp,” said Nancy. “I think everybody gains, this is a real wonderful opportunity for staff and campers alike to celebrate life and fun.”

Nancy has been volunteering at the camp for over 30 years. She isn’t volunteering for any capital gain, nor does she do it for recognition, she spends countless hours and so much energy giving back to these people because she truly cares.

Aidan Thomas Hornaday

At age 4, Aidan Thomas Hornaday already knew what most people don’t figure out until adulthood – it’s never too early to give back.

Aidan Thomas Hornaday

“Aidan told me he wanted to be a difference maker,” said his mother Toren Anderson. “He said he believed children shouldn’t wait until they are 18 to make a difference.”

He first lived up to that promise when he donated $80 in tips he unexpectedly collected in his fedora while playing the harmonica at a restaurant at age 7. From then on, he’s looked for ways to help others recognize their passions and use them in ways to help others.

In many ways, Aidan, now 15, considers guiding others to find their avenue for giving back as being the most significant part of his volunteer activities. That desire led him and his mom to launch AidanCares, an awareness initiative sharing the necessity and joy of giving to all ages. He has shared his mission with many thousands to date.

“I try to make it easy for people to find their passion,” he said. “People want to make a difference, but we don’t want them getting burned out because then it’s just hard to give at all.”

For Aidan, service comes through music. He is a singer songwriter and plays tunes and sings at veterans hospitals, for children with cancer, and for patients in hospice care.  But, he also inspires others through speaking all over the globe. At leadership summits in England and San Diego, Aidan has inspired teens from at least 30 countries worldwide to meet needs of others.

Aidan and The African Children’s Choir spent an afternoon in Piedmont Park learning the harmonica. All harmonicas were donated to the choir from AidanCares!

After discussing the importance of giving, he works with all ages to discuss the ways they can serve and contribute. The actions don’t have to be grandiose to impact the world, he says all gives matter, large and small.  Such as, towels for animal shelters, diapers for daycare centers, or cleaning up beaches and parks.

Ultimately, he said, his goal is helping all ages recognize and tap into what makes their hearts sing to foster a culture of serving others and making a positive impact on society.

Like Aidan said, you don’t have to wait until you’re 18 to make a difference. Find opportunities to serve your community by checking out All for Good.

Lemuel Life LaRoche

For Lemuel “Life” LaRoche, life’s about the game – the game of chess. He’s used the game as a way to reach and impact young people at risk for the last 15 years, culminating in the creation of his organization Chess and Community.

“Chess is the hook and the glue to getting them in. We’re teaching them about life and changing their perspective on things,” he said. “We show them we’re all pawns on a chess board, and the pawns can become anything they want to.”

Lemuel Life LaRoche

Since 1999, he’s worked with youth cycling through the Department of Juvenile Justice, trying to help them identify better choices to change their lives’ trajectory.

As a motivational speaker who addresses crowds in churches, schools, and detention centers, LaRoche uses his poetry to show young people they have worth in society – that they can choose a path leading to success instead of one that ends in troubles.

Using chess as an anchor, LaRoche has launched several youth programs, most of which are centered around the game of chess. Since 2011, he’s created monthly Chess and Pizza for 30-40 kids, Chess and Ice Cream, and a weekly chess program at local library which attracts between 20-60 kids. He also hosts an annual friendly chess competition, ‘Justice-Served’ for youth to play chess with local police officers to foster a stronger community-police relationship.

“These programs help kids learn how to think strategically and develop strategies for their own lives,” he said. “We teach them how to look at chess as the game of life so they can incorporate strategy into everything they do.”

LaRoche and his team at the WBL chess tournament in 2015.

Additionally, LaRoche has lead an Operation DC program in which students who have completed all the community service and school requirements earn a trip to Washington, D.C. to compete in the annual Bum Rush the Board Chess Tournament, visit the Fredrick Douglass Center, Howard University and other college campuses and a visit see the White house. At the Chess and Community Conference youth chess tournament held in Athens, GA youth are encouraged to voice their concerns for their community through an essay-writing competition, engaging with local policymakers and community leaders and a chess tournament for a cash prize. He also maintains a scholarship program through Chess and Community which has awarded 20 $500-1,000 scholarships to date.

Overall, he said, his volunteer efforts are about giving back to society even in incremental measures.

“My philosophy is to give one hour a month to engage your community’s challenges,” he said. “If you can’t do that, then you don’t get to complain about the problems we see.

If you’re interested in finding opportunities to engage in your community through service, please check out All for Good for projects near you! 

Cami Anderson

To Cami Anderson, social justice for at-risk youth is personal.

“My passion for equity and service relates directly to my parents,” says the respected leader in urban education reform. “They had three children and adopted nine. Most of my siblings were considered ‘hard to place’ because of a broken child welfare system that doesn’t value kids of color, older kids, or kids with mental and physical health challenges.”

“My mom ran various family support organizations, child care centers, and trained foster and adoptive families. She also fought for immigrant rights and eventually ran one of the first shelters for kids with HIV.”

Anderson’s family lived in Los Angeles because her father joined the Watts Community Labor Action Committee after the devastating riots of the 1960s. “A strong sense of social justice was just part of our family,” she explains. “I grew up seeing firsthand how my siblings confronted every kind of prejudice, from homophobia to racism. It was never a question that my life would be dedicated to trying to fight for equity on all levels.”

Anderson, 44, who graduated from the University of California at Berkeley and earned a master’s degree from Harvard, is recognized nationally for her administrative and volunteer work relating to education, child welfare, criminal justice, and gender equality.  

A year ago Anderson left her job as superintendent at Newark Public Schools in New Jersey after four years in which she and her team accomplished tremendous results for kids in the face of difficult politics. During her tenure she blazed a trail of reform, negotiated four groundbreaking labor contracts with unions, including nationally recognized teachers’ contracts and improved graduation rates by 12 percent. While working in Newark, Anderson was named one of Time Magazine’s Most Influential People.

Now back at her home in Harlem, Anderson founded ThirdWay Solutions, a company dedicated to policy, practice and people solutions to seemingly intractable problems across social justice issues. One focus is breaking the school-to-prison pipeline. “Suspension and punitive school discipline policies are often just another way of disproportionally disadvantaging kids of color,” she says.

Of all the work she’s done promoting social justice, Anderson is most proud of the leadership coaching she’s done with women and individuals of color. “So many times I’m in a room where there is a discussion going on about communities of color, and I’m the only woman there,” she says. “And, often, there isn’t anyone of color participating.” 

In the past two decades, Anderson has mentored and supported scores of leaders around the country, mostly women, mostly people of color. “The next generation of leaders will hopefully be more representative of the talent in this country and will continue to affect change,” she says.

Anderson is a firm believer in inspiring others to act. “When we don’t take the inequities to heart and see social issues as impacting us, we turn a blind eye to injustice and perpetuate it,” she says. “If you don’t take society’s failings personally, it’s way too easy to get involved in your own world. The more personally connected we all are to making our society more equitable and fair, the more likely it is to happen.”

Anderson was awarded her Daily Point of Light award at the generationOn luncheon in New York City on June 8, one of the amazing people honored for bringing the generationOn mission to life.

Are you inspired to take action and serve? Find opportunities to help better your community by checking out All for Good. 

Rose Farah

To most people, Syria is a distant country caught in the crossfire of a horrific civil war.

But to Rose Farah, 18, Syria is like a second home, a place she summered with grandparents and cousins, a country of tradition, warmth and family. Farah was 13 when the war broke out, a tragic turn of events that changed her world and separated her from family and loved ones.

Now a senior at Convent of the Sacred Heart in New York City, Farah learned at an early age the importance of social justice and community service. “Sacred Heart taught me the impact even one person can have,” said the student body president. “When the war broke out, I knew I had to do something to help those affected.”

Then she discovered Jusoor (“bridges” in Arabic) which is a non-partisan, non-religious NGO of expatriates committed to providing opportunities for Syrian youth through programs in the fields of education, career development, and global community engagement. “I was blown away by the work they were doing.” When she was 15, Farah signed on as an intern. She now works with the organization as a staff member.

A pressing problem for the thousands of children living in refugee camps is not being able to go to school. One of Jusoor’s main programs is its Refugee Education Program, which gives children the chance to study at Jusoor schools until they can be enrolled in schools in their host country. “Many of these kids have been out of school for five years,” she explained. “They are away from home, away from everything they know.”  

Without an education, their hope for a better future is diminished. Education is the path forward.

In her sophomore year, Farah organized a fundraiser at her school with raffle prizes donated by local businesses. “It only costs $600 to send one child to a Jusoor school for the whole year, including transportation and lunch.” The raffle raised $1,500 the first year, and $7,200 the second, funding the education of 14 Syrian refugee children.

Jusoor is a small organization, and from the start, Farah has worn many hats, from organizing an international volunteer program, to accounting and program management, to creating marketing materials and planning local and global events.

One of Farah’s current roles is serving as the coordinator for Jusoor’s 100 Syrian Women, 10,000 Syrian Lives scholarship program, which will bring Syrian women to universities in the United States and Canada. After working their entire lives to make it to the university level, these promising young women have been forced to stop their studies as a result of the ongoing crisis. The program awards scholarships of up to $50,000 per student, and recipients will be attending schools including Harvard, Brown, and NYU beginning this fall. “Their goal is to go back to Syria and help rebuild,” she said. After reading their applications, conducting interviews, and communicating with these women on a daily basis, Farah believes that they are the future of Syria.

As for her own future, Farah is interested in international human rights law, but she’s still considering her options. In 2015, she interned at the United Nations where she presented a final project on the Syrian refugee crisis. “Helping others, whether on an international level or in my local community, gives meaning to my life,” she said. “I truly believe that if you can transform one person’s life, that is everything.” 

Farah was awarded her Daily Point of Light award at the generationOn luncheon in New York City on June 8. Farah was one of the amazing people honored for bringing the generationOn mission to life.

Every child deserves access to education. To help the children and youth of Syria realize their dreams, check out Jusoor’s website for ways to get involved. 

Lucy Kasler

Throughout eight counties in Northeast Ohio, it is estimated that 1 in every 4 children isnot adequately nourished. One person helping lead the charge from starvation to salvation is Lucy Kasler.

Lucy Kasler

Lucy is not a food expert, or a well renowned chef. She is a 12-year-old girl with a a huge heart and a will to make a difference. Since 2014, Lucy has regularly volunteered at the Akron Canton Regional Foodbank, helping provide food for hundreds of people all across Northeast Ohio.

Whether it’s helping prepare food, serve food, or fund raise, Lucy has been one of the more dedicated and hardest working volunteers, regardless of age. This preteen has proven to everyone that no age or limitation should prevent you from making an impact on your community.

While Lucy plays an important role in changing the lives of so many people, it is her mother that may be her biggest fan.

“I am very proud of Lucy and her commitment to the Foodbank,” said Lori Bossick, Lucy’s mother. “I love seeing how Lucy has grown as a worker and a leader. It really makes my heart happy that she cares about others and wants to help make a difference.”

Lucy is no ordinary 12-year-old. She has the work ethic and leadership skills of someone way beyond her years. Last year she served as Project Lead for the Operation Orange 24-Hour Service event, which she helped organize and coach adults on a course of action.

“Volunteering is something we have done as a family,” said Lori “I’ve always taught my children to ‘be a blessing to others’ with their actions and their attitude, and this is just one way she blesses others with her actions.”

If you’re interested in finding opportunities to engage in your community through service, please check out All for Good for projects near you!  

Dorian Maverick

The Stolen Voices Project is a musical awareness and healing project surrounding the issue of acquaintance rape. The project’s long term goals include using the power of music to raise awareness about the prevalence and seriousness of acquaintance rape, to create a resource for those attempting to navigate abusive situations and to help create a community dialog about consent, with a focus on college students.

Dorian Maverick

Dorian Maverick has devoted her life to raising awareness about acquaintance rape; a sexual assault that legally fits the definition of rape, yet does not fit the typical cliché that society has constructed. She combined the stories of many women and men who have experienced this form of sexual assault into the project’s first song and related video, which she wrote, produced, directed, funded and edited herself. She also auditioned, organized and coached the local singers and speakers that performed in the video.

Maverick’s work with the Stolen Voices Project has touched many rape survivors’ lives, both as an experiential therapy for the performers, and as proof that survivors are not alone, for viewers. Through the Stolen Voices Project’s Facebook  page, Maverick can educate visitors, connects survivors and inspire hope.

The project began with an initial music video, featuring the volunteer performances of 56 students and community members from the Boston area, including contributions from seven different colleges. Flight of Fire (Maverick’s all-girl band) released the song in February of 2014, and all proceeds were donated to the Boston Area Rape Crisis Center. The project was also covered by the Berklee Groove, and promoted by local organizations like the Boston Area Rape Crisis Center and Hollaback Boston.

Maverick passionately believes in the unique power of music to connect people of all backgrounds to each other, and to connect anyone to a cause. The language of music can be used to express that which perhaps cannot be otherwise explained, and the experience of that understanding never leaves you.

Maverick and her siblings escaped their physically, sexually and emotionally abusive parents in 2008, and since then she has relied on her determination and her music to battle significant financial and emotional struggles. After completing an intensive childhood trauma recovery program and a dual major at Berklee, she is determined to make a difference for survivors. Her efforts were honored with Berklee’s Music and Society Award upon her graduation in 2014.

If you’re interested in finding opportunities to engage in your community through service, please check out All for Good for projects near you!  

Ewan Drum

Meet Daily Point of Light Award honoree Ewan Drum. Read his story and nominate an outstanding volunteer, family or organization as a Point of Light.

When 9-year-old Ewan Drum puts on his cape, this mild mannered fourth grader can leap tall social problems in a single bound.

“It started two years ago when me and my family were in Detroit driving somewhere to eat and I saw a homeless person on the street and I wanted to help them,” he recalls.

After having that feeling, Ewan, who lives with his family in New Haven just north of Detroit, came to his mom and dad with a question. “He asked us if he could dress up like a super hero and take clothes and food to homeless people when he was a teenager,” says his mom, Angela Drum. “James and I just looked at each other and said, well you don’t have to wait until you’re a teenager. You can do that now.”

So began a grassroots initiative that started with Ewan’s family packing and delivering sack lunches to a gritty section of downtown Detroit by the old Michigan Central Train Station, an iconic building that was used in the filming of the Batman vs. Superman. The family came upon a group of homeless people by the station, and shared lunches and water with them.

“We hadn’t realized that many homeless shelters weren’t open on weekends most of the time, leaving these folks without services,” says Angela. What started small grew, with a groundswell of support from friends and neighbors, into Super Ewan – a nonprofit that serves about 200 people each month, with the caped Ewan leading the charge.

“Ewan has always been very sensitive to other people, even when he was 3 and 4 years old,” says Angela. “James and I both grew up in families that fell below the poverty line, so we know what it is to be in need.”

It was very important to the Drums that their children – Ewan is the oldest, sister Feenie is 5, and brother Crosby is almost 3 – grow up understanding what it is to give back and help someone less fortunate. “The little ones won’t remember what it’s like before we started having Super Ewan adventures,” Angela says.

For Ewan, these adventures include holding food drives at his school and helping his family deliver 66 turkey dinners the weekend before Thanksgiving, despite a snow storm.

“I feel good when I help people and I think they like to see me in my cape,” says Ewan, the little guy with a big heart. As more people hear Ewan’s story through word of mouth and social media, more volunteers and supporters step up and donate time, goods and money to help him continue his adventures.

“Super” Ewan Drum is a shining example of how one person’s vision inspires a family, which in turn inspires a grassroots movement to drive change. Join us in Detroit in June for Points of Light’s Conference on Volunteering and Service, which provides the singular opportunity for thousands from around the world to come together to shape the future of volunteerism.