Teen Volunteer Helps Frontline Workers Mask Up Amid COVID-19
Meet Daily Point of Light Award honoree Avni Garg. Read her story and nominate an outstanding volunteer or family as a Daily Point of Light.
A middle school student at the time, Avni Garg says it was former First Lady Michelle Obama who inspired her service dedicated to creating a healthier world. “Growing up, I’d hear about the importance of staying healthy. I knew the issue was important but I didn’t know what I could do as an individual to make an impact.”
Launching Change Will Happen in 2018, the now 16-year-old New York City, New York resident is making the world a healthier place by supporting thousands across the globe through events, education and medical missions. Most recently, when there was a dire need for PPE amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Avni stepped up to support first responders by producing reusable masks.
What inspires you to volunteer?
It inspires me to know that I have the power to do something good. The more I volunteered, the more I found I genuinely liked (service), and I knew it was making me and other people happy.
Describe your volunteerism with Change Will Happen.
As founder and president of Change Will Happen, I fundraise, recruit volunteers, coordinate educational presentations and also participate in international medical missions. We’ve made more than 4,000 N95-grade reusable face masks thus far for frontline workers, including at hospitals, nursing homes and locally across my community. We also design and sew surgical caps and protective gowns. Lastly, in line with our mission to build a healthier world, we formed a partnership with the American Heart Association several years ago to introduce healthier habits to students at a younger age.
Avni pictured on a medical mission in Haiti teaching children how to measure blood pressure./Courtesy Avni Garg
Share one personal story with me from your volunteerism.
When we started making the masks, there was a shortage of PPE in NYC and the tri-state area. I handed some masks off to a nearby office, and the look of relief in this one woman’s eyes made me feel really grateful. She said, “I can never thank you enough.” It sounds like something out of a story, and not real. She was genuinely worried, but the weight was lifted off of her shoulders (with those masks.) Giving up my time and receiving this gratitude in return makes me feel really grateful and happier to volunteer.
Why do you think it’s important for others to give back?
Why do you put nutrients into the soil? The crops will come out a lot fresher and greener. There’s this aspect of, “what you reap is what you sow” when it comes to volunteering. It’s also good for the soul in general. You earn a lot more than just happiness from volunteering, you learn about your community and what they are lacking.
What’s your volunteering motto?
I formed a team of seamstresses who are also healthcare workers, and our motto is “superheroes helping each other.” We have all of this power to help others, and that makes the bond between us and the service we are providing a lot stronger.
What’s in the future for your volunteerism?
I’m still making masks and in addition, I’m making hats for medical professionals to use in surgical wards. I’m hoping to restart my other volunteerism when it’s safer to travel.
In one word, what does volunteering mean to you?
Panacea.
When you’re not busy with school or volunteering, what do you do for fun?
I like to dance. I like to sing. I produce a lot of school plays, my favorite was “Legally Blonde.”
How can readers help?
We rely on donations to continue helping others. Please visit our website for more information about how you can help.
Student by Student, Teen’s Education Volunteerism Changes the World for Future Generations
Meet Daily Point of Light Award honoree Ishika Devgan. Read her story and nominate an outstanding volunteer or family as a Daily Point of Light.
Vulnerable and lacking educational opportunities, nearly half of school aged refugee children around the world are out of school. Serving as an advocate for underprivileged youth and forgotten populations like child refugees, 17-year-old Ishika Devgan is volunteering to offer educational opportunities for kids today and changing the future for generations tomorrow.
Launching Youth Education Initiative (YEI) in 2019, Ishika has connected with hundreds of children across chapters in the United States and internationally, including in Spain and India. The Bellevue, Washington rising high school senior is helping kids through engaging programming and is effecting change through advocacy with government leaders including the Biden-Harris administration.
What inspires you to volunteer?
The people that we are helping. In my community, there’s a divide between groups of opportunity and those who lack opportunity and resources. I’m inspired to meet those people and see our impact.
Describe your volunteerism with YEI.
As founder, I recruit chapters around the world to expand our volunteers, I handle fundraisers to support our programs and I advocate to raise awareness about education inequities. I also interact with the program participants in our Washington branch area. We have a bunch of programs including our Textbook Fund drive for international students and Tickets For Change initiative which provides money for students to travel internationally for education.
Through fundraising, book drives and advocacy, Ishika is connecting with vulnerable groups including homeless and unaccompanied youth./courtesy Ishika Devgan
Your advocacy includes working with the Biden-Harris administration. Tell me more.
My service includes drafting and lobbying for bills in the states with the highest refugee youth populations, to meeting with legislators to improve budgets for refugee education. We’ve been working with the Biden-Harris team to help pass refugee education bills and create policy papers to reference. This volunteerism has shown me the importance of youth input and influence in government, especially in areas of education where youths are the main stakeholders.
Share one personal story with me from your volunteerism.
We held a book drive in the Bellevue area, and collected a few thousand dollars worth of books to donate to unaccompanied minors. Seeing the lack of resources they have and then visually witnessing the impact of this drive really contextualized the entire process for me. Instead of this being an abstract issue, we are personally helping groups like the youth refugee population, often a forgotten part of advocacy because of how detached refugees in America seem from the rest of the country.
Why do you think it’s important for others to give back?
There are different ways to help people even if you don’t have “power” in a systematic stance. You still have the ability to make change.
How have you continued to volunteer throughout the COVID-19 pandemic?
Before the pandemic, we used to do a lot of in-person fundraisers and drives. As a result of the pandemic, we started doing more legislative service on the advocacy side, helping lawmakers to evaluate different bills that impact the groups we serve.
In one word, what does volunteering mean to you?
Change.
When you’re not busy volunteering or in school, what do you do for fun?
At just seven years old, King Singh is serving as a beacon of hope and strength for his Queens community and the surrounding New York area. When he was two, King was diagnosed with both the rare blood disease G6PD deficiency as well as leukemia, and spent the following three and a half years in treatment. While going through chemotherapy, he began handing out his toys to other children in the hospital to see them smile.
To honor the perseverance and care for others he showed during this time, King and his parents started the King Fights Cancer Foundation in 2018. The nonprofit serves to both support families affected by a life-threatening illness as well as inspire others to do good. King Fights Cancer holds toy drives year round to donate to kids being treated in the hospital, donated gift cards to families in need around the holidays, and is beginning to raise money to help provide financial assistance to families with children in the hospital. Not content to stop there, King also participates in community clean ups and has partnered with the New York Blood Center to help raise awareness for blood drives. At his last blood drive in March, he helped collect 277 pints to blood, equating to saving 830 lives.
Points of Light interviewed King along with his parents, Michael and Shameeza Singh.
How did the King Fights Cancer Foundation get its start?
Michael: The foundation was started in honor of King because of all the kind acts he did. The mission of the foundation is to help families who are currently going through any life-threatening illness such as cancer. King is a rare child, meaning he also has a rare disease and cancer, which is extremely rare. The foundation was started in honor to help both rare disease warriors and children who are fighting cancer. Our main mission is to help with bills and milestone gifts and to basically make the journey a little bit easier, because we’re a cancer family and who knows better what a family that is fighting cancer needs than a family that fought cancer?
King Singh, front row, middle, participates in a community clean up along with the Southeast Queens Clean Up crew and his brother and sister./Courtesy King Singh
What does the King Fights Cancer Foundation do?
Michael: Mainly King does toy drives. We currently have two toy bins out at different locations. Throughout the year, King collects toys and gives them to the hospital and sometimes even in person. If he visits a local hospital for his appointment and he sees kids in the waiting room, he always brings toys to give out. It started off as a kindness act. When children go in for blood transfusions or any type of medical procedures that are very invasive, because no one really wants to get a needle in the spine or chest, they usually give the kids a choice to pick a toy from the treasure chest as an incentive for doing those things. Countless times, King has given away his toys after earning them. King says it makes him happy to make others smile. We support him and do the toy drives at least four or five times a year. … He partnered with the Queens Borough President to collect toys year round to help fulfill that.
Not only does he collect toys and help give back to the hospitals and children, he also cleans his community. He gives back with the New York Blood Center. We partner with them and ask for blood donations. Because his story is so impactful and I would say it’s uncommon, a lot of people who hear his story and how he persevered donate blood.
What inspires you to help out in so many ways?
King: I like seeing others smile. I love to help other kids. I want to see smiles on their faces.
How do you support the blood drives?
Michael: Basically just going to the New York Blood Center, showing up to different blood drives in the city, all throughout the different boroughs. He shows up, thanks donors, inspires them, shares his message and his story. He goes out there with his brother and sister and he tells everyone he’s a cancer survivor and he would not be alive if it wasn’t for blood transfusions. He’s always out at the blood transfusion centers inspiring and recruiting new members. People who are out there who wouldn’t even think about donating, he pulls them in.
How did you start cleaning your community?
Michael: The reason why King does that is because he’s immunocompromised so he can’t play when it’s crowded during the day. We usually go in the afternoon and it’s very messy. People don’t use the garbage cans. King partnered with a council member for a toy drive and he brought it up to the council member that he would like to help a foundation that cleans the community and parks, and they partnered him up with Southeast Queens Clean Up crew. Usually once a week or every other week, King goes out there for at least two to three hours. He has his brother and sister picking up garbage on the side of highways, on the main streets. … He’s not afraid to get down and dirty at the tender age of seven.
What is it like being able to clean up your community alongside your family?
King:I like helping cleaning up with my family. I want to keep the park clean and safe for other kids to go play. There’s a lot of broken bottles on the ground, and when the kids walk or fall down, they can cut their heads or their knee.
What’s been the most rewarding part of your work?
King:Giving out the toys. I like seeing smiles on other kids’ faces.
Do you think it’s important for others to give back?
King:Yes. That’s why I try to lead by example.
What do you want people to learn from your story?
King:You can do anything. Never give up and stay positive.
What can people do to help out?
Shareeza:I think if people are able to monetarily donate, that of course would be helpful, but I know a lot of people aren’t able to. They can go out and volunteer their time, or donate their time to do something special for someone or make someone feel special. It’s not always about money. It’s about time and sharing and caring.
Michael: King always says if you can’t donate money, please donate your blood. I found that so amazing because it’s selfless, if you’re able to and don’t have a medical ailment that prevents you from donating blood. One pound of blood can save three lives. … Right now we’re sharing with everyone if you choose King’s charity while you’re shopping on Amazon, that’s a free way of helping his foundation just by clicking his charity on your Amazon Smiles list. There’s many different ways people can help, even just sharing about his foundation and sharing his name. If others out there are good at grant writing, we do need help with that. … And just do random acts of kindness in honor of King. King is willing to do anything to help the world.
Teen Helps Connect Young People with Nonprofits in Need of Volunteers
Meet Daily Point of Light Award honoree Ellie Zimmerman. Read her story and nominate an outstanding volunteer or family as a Point of Light.
Volunteering has had a profound effect on Ellie Zimmerman’s life. It brought her closer to her mother and sister when they would tutor ESL students at the local community center each week, it made her backpacking trip in Chile even more meaningful through community engagement, and it helped her discover her passion in life.
But when she entered high school, Ellie struggled finding time to volunteer along with extracurriculars, a part-time job, and homework. Realizing a lot of young people probably face the same dilemma, the Purchase, N.Y.-based teenager reached out to local nonprofits to see if they had any technological needs that could be done by high schoolers on their own time.
From that initial inquiry, Interns 4-Good was born. The nonprofit has connected over 12,000 high school students from around the world to virtual, technology-based internship opportunities with over 250 nonprofits in need of help. Ellie founded the organization in 2018 and has served as its CEO ever since, leading a team of 18 passionate young people from around the United States.
When the now-19-year-old first began working with local nonprofits, she just asked some of her friends to help them out where they could. When the nonprofits realized how valuable teenagers could be when it comes to digital-based tasks, like running social media accounts and developing websites, they became excited and began spreading the word to other nonprofits.
The word-of-mouth spread to interested teen volunteers as well. Interns 4-Good currently receives about 50 volunteer applications from young people each day.
“I’ve been able to connect with people from Germany and California and Texas, and they are in all different grades and all different paths in life, and they all want to do the same thing through this platform,” Ellie said. “That’s really exciting for me.”
Ellie Zimmerman, top row, center, leads a meeting with some of Interns 4-Good’s teen volunteers./Courtesy Ellie Zimmerman
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Interns 4-Good adopted an additional mission through their tutoring program. Ellie was inspired to start this after her aunt, a learning specialist in Harlem, expressed the difficulties in keeping students engaged with virtual learning, especially those living in low-income neighborhoods.
“I was excited to do what I could with all the young people who were also passionate about education,” Ellie said, “who expressed they wanted to become teachers one day, or they were experts in chemistry, or had three levels of math under their belt, and wanted to use those skills to support people who might not have the ability to contact tutors or their teachers for extra help.”
Interns 4-Good led a team of student interns in creating over 200 Powerpoint presentations on topics requested by teachers, along with Youtube videos where the interns walked through each lesson. The presentations serve as a way to provide teachers with creative, fun lesson plans that are more likely to capture the attention of kids learning from home.
During the peak of the pandemic, the nonprofit ran a support hotline for teachers struggling with the sudden transition to teaching on new tech platforms. They also began providing one-on-one tutoring sessions, which they continue to do in partnership with Schoolhouse.world and Learn to Be.
“The fact [teachers] were able to have some extra support — especially during this time when they were teaching from home, or they were out on the front lines risking their lives to be in the classroom with these students — I think definitely took some weight off their shoulders,” Ellie said.
Ellie Zimmerman, top row, center, leads a meeting with some of Interns 4-Good’s teen volunteers./Courtesy Ellie Zimmerman
The tutoring program led to a virtual summer camp last year in order to not only help take the kids off their parents’ hands for a few hours a day, but also to combat the “summer slide,” referring to the tendency for students to forget what they learned the previous school year over summer break, which disproportionally affects people in lower-income neighborhoods. A group of ten volunteers adapted some of the year’s lesson plans into interactive projects that they themselves taught to almost 250 students ranging from kindergarten to eighth grade.
Interns 4-Good is always looking for more nonprofit partners as well as more volunteers, particularly anyone technologically savvy who could help with some of the organization’s future goals, which include creating an app. Anyone interested in working with Interns 4-Good in some way is encouraged to contact the organization.
Another goal the nonprofit is working on is expanding to college students. Ellie will be attending Vanderbilt University this fall, where she will be studying human organizational development with the plan to work in the world of service as a leader fighting for social change — a career path inspired by her work with Interns 4-Good.
“Some people think they can’t make a difference when they really can, and that’s the mindset everyone needs to take on in order for us to work together as the next generation of people who will shape our planet,” she said.
Teen’s Virtual Service Promotes “Self-Care Support” for Students Amid COVID-19 Pandemic
Meet Daily Point of Light Award honoree Allene Yue. Read her story and nominate an outstanding volunteer or family as a Daily Point of Light.
When the COVID-19 pandemic forced schools to transition to distance learning, Allene Yue says she witnessed the negative effect on students. Losing the opportunity to see friends in person, the 17-year-old Santa Clara, California student says she worried about mental health for kids around the world as they adjusted to the “new normal.”
Founding Self-Care Support in August 2020 to motivate and encourage students to improve their mental health, Allene has connected with thousands of youth as she offers free resources and inspires kindness and wellness amongst her peers. Virtually connecting with kids of all ages from the United States to Canada to India and beyond, Allene is helping students to thrive amid the pandemic.
What inspires you to volunteer?
Personally making an impact in a person’s life is what inspires me. There is so much going on in the world, whether I get an email or direct message from a stranger I have helped, that is a driving factor that pushes me to do more volunteer work.
Describe your volunteerism with Self-Care Support.
As founder and executive director of Self-Care Support, I lead our leadership team, spearhead organization initiatives and lead our podcast, “Her Journey,” which features interviews with female change-makers from around the world. We also offer the Mental Health Resource Initiative for students K-8. In addition to the programs offered by Self-Care Support, the organization has partnered with various educational non-profits in fields like STEM, business and medicine to support educational opportunities.
Share one personal story with me from your volunteerism.
I used to volunteer as a piano teacher, and taught a younger student who was really shy and closed off. She didn’t have confidence in playing the piano, but I could see she had a lot of talent. By the last day, she’d gotten comfortable talking to me, and it was exciting to see that I was making a difference in this person’s life. By devoting a couple hours to someone, whether it’s a student or a stranger, you can make a really significant change in that person’s life.
Allene has connected with thousands of students by offering free virtual resources and educational opportunities. /Courtesy Allene Yue
Why do you think it’s important for others to give back?
The world is pretty complicated as it is. It becomes even more difficult and complex when we isolate ourselves, and when we don’t work together. By helping each other out through volunteerism, particularly if you’ve privileged to have opportunity, you can make society a little kinder and more inclusive.
How have you continued to volunteer throughout the pandemic?
Even though I started this organization as a result of the pandemic, mental health is a topic that needs to be covered even after the pandemic is over. It is important to spread more mental health awareness, and we will do more initiatives and projects to continue growing our organization.
What do you want people to learn from your story?
There are so many different ways to give back. You can even volunteer virtually like I do. People think it takes a lot of effort to find a place to volunteer, but you can do something small and still make a big difference.
In one word, what does volunteering mean to you?
Empathy.
When you’re not busy with school or volunteering, what do you do for fun?
I like to take walks with my sister, learn a new song on the piano or play tennis for fun.
How can readers help?
Please visit the Self-Care Support website for more information about how you can help.
Teen’s Sustainable Volunteerism Gives 2nd Life to Lifesaving Medical Supplies
Meet Daily Point of Light Award honoree Eden Sapien. Read her story and nominate an outstanding volunteer or family as a Daily Point of Light.
When Eden Sapien’s brother broke his arm, family insurance paid for an expensive arm brace. But after her brother healed, Eden says her mother was unable to donate the brace, due to rules around medical supplies in the United States. The 16-year-old Phoenix, Arizona volunteer is now helping underserved patients by rescuing unused medical items.
Launching Saving Supplies Saves Lives in September 2019 as part of her Girl Scout Gold Award project, Eden is collecting some of the billions of dollars worth of medical supplies that go to landfills each year, instead directing them towards those who cannot afford the costly, but at times, lifesaving, supplies and equipment. Donating thousands of supplies worth approximately $150,000 thus far to low-income individuals in her community and also, to under resourced hospitals and clinics as far away as Nicaragua thanks to a partnership with Esperança, Eden is changing her community and helping those most in need through her sustainable volunteerism.
What inspires you to volunteer?
It’s inspiring to see how relieved people are once you help them. That is one of the best feelings ever.
Describe your volunteerism with Saving Supplies Saves Lives.
As founder, I handle advertising and manage interaction with the community to raise awareness about our efforts. I also handle the pickup and drop off of donations, which includes gently used, new or expired medical supplies. Lastly, we hold events to help sort and inventory supplies. We are tackling inequity in access to medical supplies with a sustainable solution.
Through volunteerism, Eden is tackling inequity in access to medical supplies with a sustainable solution. /Courtesy Eden Sapien
Share one personal story with me from your volunteerism.
My mom and I went to pick up a donation 45 minutes away, because a lady was emptying out her apartment. Her husband had recently passed away, and she was donating 30 boxes of supplies related to his healthcare. She’d cared for him while he was sick, and seeing how relieved and thankful she was that his passing was going to help someone else in the world was really moving. It’s really inspiring for people to know items their loved ones once used are going to help someone, somewhere else.
Why do you think it’s important for others to give back?
Volunteering opens your eyes to different situations, and it makes you grateful. Specifically, my project makes me thankful for my own life. My mom says over and over again that she’s so thankful her kids are healthy.
What have you learned through your experiences as a volunteer?
Some people, when they’ve heard about my project, they start going through their house trying to find medical supplies just to donate. Volunteering makes you learn a lot about people.
What’s in the future for your volunteerism?
I don’t think our service will ever stop. Through this service, I have created partnerships with organizations like Esperança that will be everlasting.
What do you want people to learn from your story?
Look at the impact we’ve made, and see how easy it is to help other people. You can do that too.
As founder of Saving Supplies Saves Lives, Eden Sapien has donated thousands of medical supplies worth approximately $150,000 thus far to low-income individuals and under resourced hospitals and clinics./Courtesy Eden Sapien
When you’re not busy volunteering or in school, what do you do for fun?
Like any other teen, I like to hang out with my friends obviously. I love to travel and do family trips.
In one word, what does volunteering mean to you?
Leadership.
How can readers help?
Please visit Esperança’s website for more information about how you can help.
Lifelong Volunteer Serves Community Through Charity Knitting Project and LGBT Advocacy Program
Meet Daily Point of Light Award honoree Jessica Milne. Read her story and nominate an outstanding volunteer or family as a Point of Light.
Jessica Milne has been giving back to others for most of her life, the volunteer spirit having been first instilled in her as a Girl Scout. It’s no surprise that she has continued serving her community in a myriad of ways well into adulthood.
For the past six years, Jessica has worked on her own charity knitting project, making hats for premature babies to donate to local neonatal ICU wings. She spends usually a few nights each week knitting, and has spent well over 500 hours working on this project. Seven years ago, she founded LGBTeen Advocacy, a program where she meets with and educates high school and middle school students on their rights and protections in the school environment. Additionally, she and her mother are currently fundraising for Race to Erase MS alongside Rally North America.
Describe your charity knitting project.
I started that probably five or six years ago now. I focus on making baby hats sized for preemies to donate to local neonatal ICU wings. I also do some baby blankets, but mostly it’s baby hats.
How did you first become involved with this?
I learned how to knit after my sister took it up and would make these beautiful blankets. I wasn’t ready to do anything quite so large, so she showed me some simple patterns and one of them was baby hats. Down the line, I learned about statistics with premature births and the fact that when you have a baby shower, you start getting things in newborn sizes, so if you have a premature birth, you don’t have anything sized for them. You just go home with all the standard things the hospital has. I thought it would be a nice gesture if you could have at least one handmade thing during that time.
Can you discuss your work with the LGBTQ community?
I started a program call LGBTeen Advocacy probably seven years ago now, based on my own experiences and things I went through when I came out in high school. … It focuses on ensuring schools are a safe and productive learning environment for all students, regardless of their sexual orientation or their gender identity. I’ve been most recently working as Miss Philadelphia County USA in the Miss Pennsylvania USA program to raise more awareness for this.
Baby hats Jessica Milne has knitted to donate to local neonatal ICU wings for premature babies./Courtesy Jessica Milne
What exactly are you doing with the schools?
One of the things I like doing is meeting with GSAs, which is Gay Straight Alliance, or whatever the school calls their queer-youth programs, clubs or activities they get together with. One of the most important things is helping students understand what their rights are and what their protections are in school, and identify people they can go to in the case that they’re being bullied or being harassed. Some schools keep it at that level. Some schools let me speak to the entire student body, tell my story and relate to them like that.
What’s been the most rewarding part of your work?
It seems so small when I’m working on individual hats, but when I sit there and I have huge bin full of them, it hits me just how many there are, and how many premature babies are out there who need things like this and the families that appreciate it. When I see it all in one group, it hits me.
What have you learned through your experiences as a volunteer?
The biggest one is there is always something you can do that can fit in your schedule. I was feeling stressed about finding a way to keep giving back, but I realized there are options that already fit into my schedule. I don’t have to make some big, sweeping changes to help my community.
Why do you think it’s important for others to give back?
You never know when the tables might turn and you might need the community’s help. I really feel we’re nothing without our community and without the support system around us. This is one way I can help other people in the situation that they’re in, but I never know when I might need my community’s help and you want people to be there for you, too.
What do you want people to learn from your story?
You can always make time in some way. Volunteerism doesn’t have to be a boring thing they tell you about in high school — you do a required community service project and then that’s it. You can find ways to give back that feed into your interests. I genuinely love knitting, so for me, it’s not tedious and it’s not a chore to do.
Teen Volunteer Helps to Feed Families with Dignity During Pandemic
Meet Daily Point of Light Award honoree Ashley Cohen. Read her story and nominate an outstanding volunteer or family as a Daily Point of Light.
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, 17-year-old Ashley Cohen says worsening food insecurity in her community surfaced issues she’d never before noticed. The high school rising senior says she decided to take action when she read an article about a mother skipping meals in order to pay for her family’s groceries.
Founding Helping the Hungry Virtually (HTHV) in April 2020, Ashley distributes grocery gift cards to children and others in need. Raising more than $18,000 thus far, the San Diego, California teenager has helped to feed nearly 250 families around the nation, from California to Texas and Pennsylvia, as she supports communities throughout the pandemic.
What inspires you to volunteer?
I love helping others. I was inspired to volunteer because I realized that kids were no longer receiving lunches at schools and food banks were closing. Whether it’s helping my peers with a math problem or volunteering at a local hospital, it’s amazing to make a difference in people’s lives. Seeing that difference and vision of change makes me want to volunteer for the rest of my life.
Describe your volunteerism with HTHV.
As founder and chief executive officer of HTHV, I help coordinate fundraising across our 8 branches and coordinate and prepare communications. In addition, I manage our team of high school aged volunteers. Lastly, I communicate with school systems to coordinate distribution of grocery gift cards and also, with some in need individuals who receive our gift cards.
Founding Helping the Hungry Virtually (HTHV) in April 2020, Ashley Cohen distributes grocery gift cards to children and others in need. /Courtesy Ashley Cohen
Share one personal story with me from your volunteerism.
I spoke with a mother in need, who explained to me that the EBT program was very helpful for her family, but she realized the program had limitations with what food she could buy. She encountered the same problem with food drives and food banks, specifically with foods that were important to her culture. That’s where it clicked for me. Grocery gift cards are a great way to fight food insecurity in a dignified way. We help families buy the food that is important to them, and they’re able to retain the freedom of going to the grocery store as normal.
Why do you think it’s important for others to give back?
Through volunteering, I hope I can do my part in lifting other community members up. These are different times for everyone, and it takes every member of the community to continue to lift one another up in times they need it most. If the roles were reversed, I know someone would rise up and do the same for me.
What’s been the most rewarding part of your service?
I love the gratitude I receive in exchange for helping others. Launching this organization wasn’t an easy process. I was 15, couldn’t drive, barely had enough money to help one family in need, and it was amidst a pandemic. Gratitude makes every single obstacle I’ve faced along the way very, very well worth it.
How have you continued to volunteer throughout the pandemic?
We’ll continue our volunteerism in the future, and hope to expand helping the hungry virtually and get more youth involved.
What do you want people to learn from your story?
Take action. There’s often a really wide gap between intention and action. Everybody can get involved in service and it just takes moving from intention to action and any help you can give is well worth it.
In one word, what does volunteering mean to you?
Selflessness.
How can readers help?
Please visit the HTHV website for more information about how you can help.
Georgia Student Helps Peers Improve Math Skills Amid Pandemic
Meet Daily Point of Light Award honoree Gabrielle Tobin. Read her story and nominate an outstanding volunteer or family as a Daily Point of Light.
Gabrielle Tobin had a special wish for her 10th birthday party. The Mableton, Georgia student didn’t want gifts, instead, she wanted to help her peers who didn’t have as much. Today, the now 14-year-old continues to give back in ways beyond her years, as she volunteers to better her community’s future.
Recognizing the impact COVID-19 pandemic school closures would have on her peers and their ability to learn, Gabrielle launched an initiative called “For Math’s Sake: Peer to Peer Videos,” as part of her Girl Scout Gold Award project. Since then, thousands of students have benefitted from the educational videos and accompanying app, which improve math proficiency and content mastery for middle schoolers in Georgia and beyond. Gabrielle’s most recent service work is just one example of how she is positively contributing to her community, one student at a time.
What inspires you to volunteer?
Math and science are my favorite subjects, and when my school district, like the rest of the country, announced that its school buildings were physically closing, I immediately thought about my peers and the challenges a remote environment would present, especially for middle school students. My friends and fellow Girl Scout Seniors have created our peer-to-peer videos to support education for students.
Describe your volunteerism.
As founder and creator of “For Math’s Sake: Peer to Peer Videos,” I coordinate and create our videos. I find school systems that want to help me with this project. We also translate some videos into Spanish for students, as we have connected with students in the United States in states like Georgia and North Carolina in addition to the Bahamas. Before launching this project, I’ve volunteered through my foundation, 40 Mustard Seeds, to support under resourced students in my community.
Share one personal story with me from your volunteerism.
Hearing how grateful the students that watch our videos and use our app are gives me an understanding of how my service is impacting so many students. This is something I love to do, and it’s not a hassle. I can continue helping people for a lifetime and putting smiles on the faces of other people.
Gabrielle pictured with Lindley 6th Grade Academy Principal Dr. Denise Magee. Through volunteering, Gabrielle helps to support under resourced students in her community./ Courtesy Gabrielle Tobin
Why do you think it’s important for others to give back?
When you take from the community, I believe you should give back. It’s important to serve the community you grew up in.
What does the future of your volunteerism look like?
I expect to continue volunteering by throwing parties and fundraisers to support students, as we couldn’t do this during the pandemic. I also expect to increase the number of students we are serving through my Gold Award project across middle and high schools.
In one word, what does volunteering mean to you?
Selflessness.
What do you want people to learn from your story?
I saw a story on the news about teachers buying school supplies for their students, and I told my mom that I wished I could help students in a similar way, but I didn’t have the money for it. My mom said, “You don’t need money, all you need is faith of mustard seed and a willing heart.” That Biblical phrase means to me that I can do anything, I just have to put my mind to it.
When you’re not busy with school or volunteering, what do you do for fun?
I do gymnastics. I do all around but the specific event that I like is vault. I also play the cello.
Miami Doctor Volunteers to Increase Diverse Representation in Medicine
Meet Daily Point of Light Award honoree Julio C. Santana, MD. Read his story and nominate an outstanding volunteer or family as a Daily Point of Light.
Moving to the United States as a young man, Julio C. Santana, MD, says he’s living the “American Dream,” as the Cuban immigrant starts his first year of medical residency. But the 31-year-old Miami, Florida resident is doing more than just achieving his personal goal of becoming a doctor. He’s paying the kindness shown to him forward, as he extends a hand to younger students from underserved communities.
Stretched thin during the COVID-19 pandemic, doctors and hospitals stopped offering clinical experiences for students. Stepping in to offer learning experiences to underserved students, Julio established virtual opportunities through Virtual Mentorship Circles (VMCs) with the support of Young Physician Initiative (YPI), an organization dedicated to inspiring underserved students to pursue careers in medicine. Julio and other medical mentors have connected with more than 75 students in the U.S. thus far as they support students on their own paths to success.
What inspires you to volunteer?
I was born in Cuba and came to the U.S. as an immigrant when I was 22. It was really hard for me to find a path to get into medical school, and find mentors who could help me on that journey. I am inspired to volunteer because I want to make that route easier for others.
Dr. Julio C. Santana: “I was an immigrant, and I was able to fulfill my dream of becoming a physician, so it’s important for me to give back and help others reach their goals.”/Courtesy Julio Santana
Describe your volunteerism with VMCs.
I am a volunteer with YPI and the executive director and co-founder of Virtual Mentorship Circles, a branch of YPI which I co-founded in response to the pandemic. Through our volunteerism, we connect underserved students with medical mentors and provide free virtual mentorship opportunities. It’s our hope that through VMCs, we’ll create a sustainable virtual platform to increase diversity in medicine. We offer initiatives including virtual shadowing, which offers free sessions for premedical students taught by physicians, and the Latino Campaign for COVID Awareness, which is a virtual campaign that increases awareness in Hispanic communities.
Share one personal story with me from your volunteerism.
Recently, one of our students was accepted into med school. He wrote a grateful message to mentors, explaining how without us, it would have been nearly impossible for him to get in. I was in the same shoes at one point. I couldn’t find a mentor and getting into med school is very competitive. I’m paying forward the help I received by helping people who are already very smart, and offering them guidance and mentorship.
Why do you think it’s important for others to give back?
It’s important to volunteer to improve humanity and to improve our country. By giving back to the community, we are giving people tools to improve themselves. Volunteering makes all of us better.
What’s in the future for your volunteerism?
We hope to continue this program. We want mentorship not to be random, but something that can happen for anyone who is interested.
Julio pictured with Dr. Heval Kelli, founder of Young Physician Initiative and co-founder of Virtual Mentorship Circles, and Eric, a medical school mentor./Courtesy Julio C. Santa
What do you want people to learn from your story?
Always be intentional about giving back. My mentor would always say, “invest in people so God invests in you.” I portray the American Dream. I was an immigrant, and I was able to fulfill my dream of becoming a physician, so it’s important for me to give back and help others reach their goals.
In one word, what does volunteering mean to you?
Opportunity.
How can readers help?
We welcome more mentors and program participants. Please visit VMCs website for more information about how you can help.
