Through Annual Summer Camp, Volunteer Supports Kids Affected by a Parent’s Cancer
Meet Daily Point of Light Award honoree Tyler McDevitt. Read his story and nominate an outstanding volunteer or family as a Point of Light.
Over 5 million children are impacted by a parent’s cancer, according to Camp Kesem, a nonprofit that aims to provide support to such kids through free nationwide summer camps. Tyler McDevitt, whose mother is a breast cancer survivor, knows what the kids who attend Camp Kesem are going through — and he has spent the past five years serving as one of the nonprofit’s dedicated volunteers.
Camp Kesem’s summer camps are hosted by college students across the country, with 137 chapters existing in 44 states. Tyler first became involved with Camp Kesem in 2015 while he was a junior at Cornell University. He became immediately interested after hearing a friend had reached out to the organization about founding a chapter at Cornell. When his friend was unable to continue as a founding director, Tyler ended up taking on the role.
“It was absolutely incredible,” Tyler said of Cornell’s first-ever Camp Kesem. “Especially never having been to camp, [we were] putting all this planning and time into something we didn’t really have a super clear picture of what the end goal looked like — so finally getting to experience it, and for it to work as well as it did, was an incredible feeling.”
Tyler McDevitt, right, facilitates a camp game. /Courtesy Tyler McDevitt
Today, Tyler serves on Princeton University’s local advisory panel, offering advice to the university’s chapter. He also volunteers as a national camp advisor, attending a different college’s camp each year to represent the nonprofit and to serve as a point of contact for rules and safety. He has attended camp at Yale University, University of California Santa Cruz, and the University of New Mexico, and will be assisting the University of Toledo this fall for their camp.
Camp Kesem’s goal is to provide kids with an opportunity to get away from the stressors at home that come with having a parent or caregiver dealing with cancer. The nonprofit strives to allow the kids be themselves and focus on having fun, through typical summer camp activities such as sports and arts and crafts.
“Especially the first-year campers can show up to camp as these timid youngsters, and they leave happy, outgoing,” Tyler said. “They really open up at camp.”
Attendees’ ages range from six to 16, and those aged 16 to 18 are able to attend as counselors-in-training. Tyler said he’s attended camps with attendance ranging from 15 kids to over 100 kids, with the bigger chapters hosting two separate weeks of camp.
Laura Fletcher, who served as founding co-director of Cornell’s Camp Kesem chapter along with Tyler, described him as “community embodied.”
“He is so welcoming of everybody he meets and he makes Kesem feel like home,” Laura said. “We were basically starting a nonprofit from nothing, so it took a ton of perseverance. Whenever I was at my wit’s end and didn’t think we were ever going to get there, he was the hope that got me through.”
On one night of the week, the camp hosts a ceremony called “Empowerment,” where everyone present is able to share their stories and provide support for one another. Tyler described Empowerment as what makes Camp Kesem what it is. A moment that particularly sticks out to him and makes him proud of his work was from an Empowerment ceremony during his senior year at Cornell, when a counselor shared that the reason she became involved was because of the support the camp gave her brother when he attended.
Tyler McDevitt, right, serves as the camp advisor for University of California, Santa Cruz’s chapter of Camp Kesem in 2018./ Courtesy Tyler McDevitt
“Even just in the week that I’ve spent at some of these one-off chapters, spending only a week with some campers, you can see a difference even from when their parents drop them off to when their parents pick them up,” he said. “They’re just happier, more excited, more enthusiastic kids, knowing that this community is here and they’re able to have that experience.”
Seeing that impact, along with feeling support himself for the experiences he went through with his mother, is what inspired Tyler to stay involved with Camp Kesem even after he graduated Cornell.
“It’s provided me with a support community that really, I didn’t know I needed more than I thought I did,” Tyler said. “It’s given me some of my best friends in college. It’s given me friends at schools across the country and a community you know you can reach out to at any time.”
After Brother’s Death, New Yorker Volunteers to Curb Prescription Opioid Deaths
Meet Daily Point of Light Award honoree Marta Michelle Colon, who was a 2020 L’Oréal Paris Women of Worth recipient. Each year L’Oréal Paris and Points of Light recognize and celebrate Women of Worth who make a beautiful difference in their communities. Ten honorees each receive a $20,000 grant to support their most cherished cause, and an online vote determines one honoree who will receive an additional $25,000 grant. Nominations for 2021 are now open! If you know a woman who works to create lasting and significant change in her community, nominate her to be one of the 2021 Women of Worth.
Born on the exact same day, five years apart, Marta Michelle Colon had a special bond with her older brother, Adam. Describing his great sense of humor and kindness, Marta Michelle says her brother was prescribed opioids following a motorcycle accident, first relying on them to ease his pain but quickly beginning to misuse them. After Adam died at age 35, his misuse of prescription opioids contributing to his death, Marta Michelle says she felt broken.
“I felt guilty that I was not able to save him, that I didn’t do enough, although I knew I spent countless days supporting him with treatment and with centers and with appointments,” says Marta Michelle. “Nothing that I accessed was good enough to help him with his substance use disorder. (It felt like) life played a trick on him. I was left wondering, why do things like this happen, especially to young people, to someone who was so kind, and had a lot of potential?”
Devastated by her personal loss and infuriated by the lack of information available on how the prescription opioid epidemic was affecting the greater Latinx community, Marta Michelle launched Be Gutsy in 2018 to educate adolescents and young adults about the dangers of misusing prescription opioids. Answering the call to deliver awareness, knowledge, support and resources to communities around the United States and in Puerto Rico, Marta Michelle’s expanding service is reflective of how widespread the opioid epidemic has become.
“We help individuals, families and communities. I started receiving all these calls saying, ‘You impact the Latinx community, but can you come help us in the Asian or Black community?’ My answer has been, yes, we’ll help whoever needs it.”
As founder and chief collaboration officer at Be Gutsy, Marta Michelle Colon is educating adolescents and young adults about the dangers of misusing prescription opioids./ Courtesy Celeste Sloman
As founder and chief collaboration officer at Be Gutsy, the 50-year-old New York City, New York resident is democratizing the tools to mitigate prescription opioid misuse through awareness initiatives and health care partnerships. Combating rising opioid abuse and deaths, which have quadrupled since 1999, Be Gutsy builds emotional intelligence and social skills for young adults through innovative programs like theater production and mural painting. By emphasizing early intervention, Marta Michelle says her organization is supporting its participants aged 13-29 in addition to addressing the stigma of substance use disorders.
“One of our workshop participants came to me and said she was taking 24 pills to sleep every night. She said she was getting pills from her family and that they didn’t think anything was wrong. She was already feeling the physical effects from overmedicating. I advised her to call her physician and share truthfully what was going on, and follow his advice to a T. One and a half months later, she reached out to me asking to be a (Be Gutsy) volunteer. She said she never knew what I’d taught her that day in the workshop, and she said I’d saved her life. She was off medication, she wasn’t feeling ill and she was sleeping better. That was three years ago, and she’s still a volunteer with us. She’s in her second year of college. We all have the opportunity to change someone’s path for the best, and (situations like this) break all the stigma that adolescents do not listen. They really want to try and flourish, and we are there to inspire and motivate them.”
Directly impacting more than 10,500 adolescents and young adults thus far and indirectly reaching tens of thousands more by raising awareness through health fairs and medical providers, Be Gutsy is empowering generations to raise above the possibility of prescription misuse and become the leaders of tomorrow. Harnessing the power of a better tomorrow, Marta Michelle’s energy and passion for the cause is unparalleled, says Sally Quinn, a friend, health enabler and former colleague whose company created partnerships with Be Gutsy.
After the loss of her older brother, Marta Michelle has directly impacted more than 10,500 adolescents and young adults and indirectly reached tens of thousands more through her volunteerism with Be Gutsy. /Courtesy Marta Michelle Colon
“When she walks into the room, she has this energy that’s just incredible,” says Sally. “No doubt, that energy is woven throughout her organization. Marta Michelle just knows exactly what to say when you need to hear it. Be Gutsy targets a very vulnerable and under resourced population, and she is absolutely changing the future for Latin and other youth in our community. She’s addressing an issue that is one of the biggest killers in the U.S., and she’s getting intervention to adolescents in a way that’s accessible to youth.”
Forced to offer Be Gutsy’s programming virtually amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Marta Michelle facilitates online workshops and conferences, and is even offering an online Spanish theater production and socially-distant mural painting. The organization relies upon donations to support their educators, critical to the success of programming. Explaining the meaning behind Be Gutsy, Marta Michelle says her volunteerism helps young adults struggling with overwhelming adversity to cope by recognizing their value and being brave, a courageousness she herself continues to embrace each day as she volunteers in her brother’s memory.
“We don’t have to break the ceiling at all times. We can just build our own house. We don’t have to be part of a huge effort. We don’t have to wait for someone to call us to be part of a board, or an organization. Know that one person has the capability to create positive change.”
Retiree Nurtures Animals During California Wildfires and Beyond
Meet Daily Point of Light Award honoree Alex von Dachenhausen. Read his story and nominate an outstanding volunteer or family as a Daily Point of Light.
Alex von Dachenhausen grew up with a house full of dogs and an allergy to cats. But Alex’s allergy didn’t stop him from volunteering at the Haven Humane Society or from opening up his homes to three cats.
Alex found the Haven Humane Society in 2015 after retiring from more than 30 years as a physical therapist who specialized in extreme injuries. He spends multiple days a week at the shelter in Redding, California, and was a consistent source of positivity and encouragement throughout the California wildfires and COVID-19 pandemic.
Describe your volunteer role at the Haven Humane Society.
My wife and I both serve as volunteer dog walkers and cat socializers. There’s a veterinary clinic where I spend a lot of my time and there’s also an adoption center called the Morgan adoption center. We started out at the Morgan adoption center and she spent most of her time socializing the cats and cleaning their cages. I would do the same, but I would also walk dogs. I volunteer at our veterinary hospital multiple days a week and wrap surgical packs.
How did your volunteerism shift during the COVID-19 pandemic?
The shelter had to shut down for a while during the pandemic and had to pause the volunteer program. But they were able to open it up in May of last year and separated the volunteer groups and the workers into two teams. So Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, so that in the event that somebody got sick, it didn’t disable everybody at the same time.
My volunteer roles look the same. They’ve been ultra, ultra careful and sticking to the protocols for protection, masking, social distancing — all that kind of stuff. And so far, well, it was really, really sad because our Chief Financial Officer Daniel, just the nicest guy in the world, passed away from the coronavirus last year and it just, it just wrecked us all.
Describe your volunteer role during the California Carr Fires.
The shelter set up a command center a little bit south of town in Anderson, California — which is in South Redding — and was an area where the community could bring in or try to find lost animals. Horses, dogs, cats and every kind of animal you can imagine were there. We had a lot of volunteer support and I spent most of my time in the clinic managing burned cats that had been found in the fire that were burned. There was a tremendous outpouring of help from the community, it was just amazing. Really makes you feel good about America.
What inspires you to volunteer?
I always felt that there was a duty to serve the greater good of the community and God. My wife and I are pretty spiritual so shortly before I retired around 2011 or 2012, and after my wife retired, we started to volunteer at local cat rescue. We just received more pleasure and satisfaction from doing it than the people and the animals receive, I think. Plus, there are so many other incredible staff and volunteers down there. They’re all animal lovers and people who do it out of the goodness of their hearts because they believe in what they’re doing. There’s some incredible stories of people that volunteer and work down there.
Plus, It’s so emotionally wrenching, you know, and uplifting and heartbreaking. All of the emotions happen multiple times in the same day. We see these poor animals that are injured, neglected, mistreated, or abused. Then you see the success stories, and it just blesses your heart and you realize that God put us on earth for a purpose.
Alex von Dachenhausen and his wife Sally both volunteer at the Haven Humane Society and have three cats of their own. /Courtesy Alex von Dachenhausen
Are there any partnerships, programs, or events that you are excited about?
A part of our push for a no-kill community is to expand our trap neuter return program. This is where feral animals are taken in, spayed or neutered, clipped, given a rabies vaccine and then returned to where they were captured. It’s not a perfect solution, but it’s found to be the best solution for these animals that are living outside.
Then the shelter has all kinds of different other programs like fun runs, an annual golf tournament plus all kinds of fundraising events to try to raise as much money as we can.
What have you learned through your experience as a volunteer?
I’ve learned about the power of the community, cooperation and the joy of doing something greater than yourself. I didn’t really have any intention of volunteering more than two or three hours today, which is the basic minimum requirement for volunteers, but I just really, really love it. I love being with these people. They all work so hard. They’re also dedicated.
Why is it important for others to give back?
I think it’s just so important to serve something greater than yourself. But the other thing is that you get back so much more. I really mean that. It’s not just a cliche. It’s become such a huge part of my life. it’s given my life such great meaning. I love what I did as a physical therapist for my career, but I would say that this gives me more.
What would you want others to learn from your service story?
There’s a desperate need for volunteerism, probably in every facet of life across America and throughout the world. And that there’s power in what one dedicated person can do to make this world a better place. On top of that, volunteers just receive so much satisfaction and meaning in their life.
New Yorker Applies Big Apple Gusto to Boost Volunteerism Across City
Meet Daily Point of Light Award honoree Cheryl K. Jones. Read her story and nominate an outstanding volunteer or family as a Daily Point of Light.
65-year-old Cheryl K. Jones lives in Brooklyn, New York, but the retiree says her volunteerism has expanded her love for places and people beyond her backyard as she helps others in need.
As a volunteer for New York Cares, the city’s largest volunteer network, Cheryl has lent a hand to more than 1,000 projects, helping thousands of children and adults. Giving back in a variety of ways, including revitalizing schools, packing hygiene kits, sorting coats, serving seniors and more, Cheryl boosted her volunteerism New York style in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, stepping up to feed hungry mouths amid the crisis. Applying Big Apple gusto through more than 3,000 hours of service thus far, Cheryl is changing her community for the better.
What inspires you to volunteer?
I have volunteered my entire life, through church, through my job, through organizations. When I retired, I wanted more fulfilling service work, and my daughter recommended New York Cares. Through the organization, I volunteer in a variety of ways that I never thought I’d be able to help with.
Cheryl pictured at PS 30 in Harlem, New York, where she led a service project at the school’s community carnival. / Courtesy Cheryl K. Jones
Describe your volunteerism with New York Cares.
I am a volunteer and also team leader for New York Cares, and have participated or led service projects in about every cause area, including park clean-ups, packing hygiene kids, revitalizing schools, yoga with kids, beauty spa for seniors, reading club for seniors, end of year celebrations at school for children, sorting coats, serving meals and VISIONS walking club. I am everywhere, doing everything.
Share one personal story with me from your volunteerism.
VISIONS offers services for the blind and visually impaired, and we do their walking club twice a year, a Spring and Fall club. One walking club attendee is now a personal friend of mine, but since the COVID-19 pandemic, she is now a shut in. We have a connection because of how deeply we bonded through our walks, and that bond is what you hope for when you start to volunteer. You want to make those human connections that let you know what you do is so appreciated.
Why do you think it’s important for others to give back?
Volunteering is how you feel. It’s not even about anything outside of yourself. Volunteering gives purpose to my life, it’s a calling to my spirit to reach out to people. ‘To whom much is given, much will be required’ is a verse from the Bible (Luke 12:48), but service to me also means, to whom much is given much is received. That feeling can’t be duplicated by anything else.
What’s been the most rewarding part of your service?
It’s rewarding to know that when I get up in the morning, I have someplace to go and something to do that’s going to bring a smile to my face and a smile to someone else’s face.
How have you continued to volunteer throughout the pandemic?
Our volunteerism has been focused on feeding people because of increased food insecurity. People were in such a panic when the pandemic first hit, not knowing where their next meal was coming from. To be out there fighting against that panic, helping to calm people, and offering people an abundance of healthy food was so rewarding. I volunteered more than 1,000 hours in 2020, mostly delivering food or serving at food pantries.
Cheryl (pictured second from right), boosted her volunteerism New York style in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, stepping up to feed hungry mouths amid the crisis./ Courtesy Cheryl K. Jones
What do you want people to learn from your story?
Start close to home. When the pandemic first hit, I started volunteering close to home, I’d help whenever I could walk. Then I spread out to where I could ride on my bike, and then, when it started feeling safer, I went on the subway. Wherever you are in the world, start helping close to home and be of service to someone else.
In one word, what does volunteering mean to you?
Connection.
How can readers help?
Please visit the New York Cares website for more information about how you can give back.
Volunteer Offers Healing Activities for Female Inmates to Build Healthier Community
Meet Daily Point of Light Award Award honoree Barbara Rhode, who was a 2020 L’Oréal Paris Women of Worth recipient. Each year L’Oréal Paris and Points of Light recognize and celebrate Women of Worth who make a beautiful difference in their communities. Ten honorees each receive a $20,000 grant to support their most cherished cause, and an online vote determines one honoree who will receive an additional $25,000 grant. Nominations for 2021 are now open! If you know a woman who works to create lasting and significant change in her community, nominate her to be one of the 2021 Women of Worth.
As a licensed marriage and family therapist, Barbara Rhode’s career has spanned decades of professional experiences, serving individuals in her community at some of their most vulnerable times. But it was a transformational moment before her career began, as a college student, that Barbara says shifted her mindset about how incarcerated individuals were being treated, and the resulting damage being done outside of prison facilities.
“I was volunteering for an organization that facilitated family visits at a maximum security prison. It was family visit day, ” says Barbara. “Women and children would drive for hours and hours to see their husband or dad. There’d be joy and excitement, and when it was time for the families to leave after several hours, you’d see separation anxiety, crying and wailing when the visit was over. The pain and fear hit me hard. I asked myself, what are we doing? Is this the right way to handle this, especially if the inmate is serving time for a substance abuse issue, not a violent crime?”
Those questions never left Barbara as nationally, the population of children with an incarcerated parent ballooned, and the number of women jailed skyrocketed, growing 750% since 1980. After working with a work release/court-ordered drug treatment facility that was experiencing difficulty due to a sudden increase in female inmates, Barbara, a St. Petersburg, Florida resident, realized the need in her community was so great, she and her husband began to self-fund activities-based classes for incarcerated women through The Red Tent Women’s Initiative, an organization that officially launched in 2012 at the Pinellas County Jail. Offering a safe place for female inmates, Barbara is helping to heal women she says are often victims themselves.
Red Tent offers hand crafts, sewing, crocheting and coloring, as Barbara says research has shown women who have been traumatized produce more oxytocin while doing hand crafts, helping them to feel safe and secure./ Courtesy Barbara Rhode
“This is a trauma issue. Most of the women we’ve dealt with have PTSD and have never connected the dots. That’s why they picked up that pill at age 14, or pipe at age 17. Or were a victim of sexual abuse from ages 4 to 8, or date rape at age 15, or gang rape at age 17, that’s what led to the downward spiral. Once they begin to understand they don’t have to define themselves as damaged or broken, and they have control over their choices, they are now survivors.”
Barbara first started out by hiring a part-time sewing instructor and decorating the room with quilts, creating a warm and peaceful sanctuary for class participants, the jail warning Barbara women might not sign up. Since then, Red Tent has provided services to approximately 1,000 women, many of whom are serving time for drug offenses or other non-violent crimes. Serving as coaches and mentors, Red Tent is a trauma-informed program with a month-long commitment that empowers women to learn about the trauma they’ve experienced and recover from difficulties. Offering healing tools, Barbara has developed activities to help the women learn how to better cope and turn away from destructive paths that led them to jail. Its programs guided by science, Red Tent offers hand crafts, sewing, crocheting and coloring, as Barbara says research has shown women who have been traumatized produce more oxytocin while doing hand crafts, helping them to feel safe and secure.
“A woman had been in our class and she was leaving soon. She had tears in her eyes and said, ‘Miss Barbara, I just want you to know I’ve never before felt safe around other women, and you see me the way I’ve always wanted to be seen.’ It was so touching. Often we cry together, we laugh together, they share their stores.”
“We’re all touched by this issue of the justice system and mass incarceration. If we didn’t do things to reduce recidivism, men and women would come out of prison and reoffend. (Many prisoners) have not been helped to change patterns that got them into prison (in the first place). The women I’ve dealt with have taught me that they feel like they’re the bottom of the barrel in society. They feel forgotten, judged, and viewed as damaged or broken, and they’re not. They’re victims of trauma that led to substance abuse, that led to incarceration.”
Barbara’s commitment to service, fostered since she was a young child, is being recognized for its lasting effects not just on the inmate but for generations to come. According to Meg Hogan, a fellow St. Petersburg resident and Red Tent board member, Barbara’s dream of helping women in need has come true because of her perseverance and dedication.
“My gosh, (her service is) heroic,” says Meg. “Second to none. She is selfless. (Barbara) has a passion for supporting women who have been traumatized in ways that is so purposeful and meaningful, so that they have a chance in life to manage their trauma. Her volunteerism is going to live on for generations to come because she’s empowering individuals to create the lives they want to live.”
The number of women jailed since 1980 has skyrocketed, jumping by 750%. Barbara says her volunteerism through Red Tent isn’t just helping one individual, it has a ripple effect, helping the woman’s family and children as well. / Courtesy Barbara Rhode
As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the jail closed all programs at the end of March 2020, but Barbara hopes Red Tent will be invited back once infection numbers have decreased. In the meantime, Red Tent is developing virtual curriculum through a collaboration with interns from the University of South Florida, which would allow the program to facilitate their programming in other jails and prisons, says Barbara, who hopes that one day, Red Tent will hold classes around the world.
“I’m reminded of a quote from Margaret Mead, ‘Never doubt that a small group of concerned citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.’ Even just a few people can start something really small that can have ripple effects everywhere. Our curriculum is inexpensive and easy. People can take this program and open it in other communities and reduce recidivism. It’s just one step at a time.”
Barbara says her service is filled with meaningful interactions that continue to drive her desire to help others. Pointing out how volunteerism reminds the individual they are part of something much bigger, Barbara is weaving together fabric of community similar to the quilts that hang in the Red Tent classroom to this day, uniting women of all backgrounds for a better future.
“At the end of one event, a teenage woman tapped me on my shoulder. She told me her mom’s name, and said that her mother had been an addict her whole childhood, and once she was sent to jail, she went to Red Tent. This young woman said her mother had been clean ever since, and she started crying, saying she got her mom back. I came home walking on air. I told my husband, ‘It’s happening, I’m meeting their children.’ When we help the moms, we help their families, their children.”
Volunteer Highlights College Campus Food Insecurity as He Helps to Feed Thousands
Meet Daily Point of Light Award honoree Ethan Maddy. Read his story and nominate an outstanding volunteer or family as a Daily Point of Light.
A college junior at the University of Oklahoma (OU), Ethan Maddy’s passion for volunteering burns bright, a passion he plans to translate into a future career in public service. Until then, the 21-year-old from Norman, Oklahoma is joyfully serving his community by helping decrease food insecurity.
As the OU Food Pantry Student Director, Ethan is contributing to the overall health and wellness of the OU campus community by feeding students, staff and faculty. While about 15% of residents across the state of Oklahoma are food insecure, even more within the OU community may lack access to enough food or nutritionally adequate food, says Ethan, who reports that as many as 1 in 3 college students experience food insecurity. Tirelessly volunteering to fight hunger in his community, Ethan has helped to put food on the table for more than 5,000 hungry individuals and their families.
What inspires you to volunteer?
I really enjoy helping others. It brings my heart joy to serve others because I’ve had the opportunity, thanks to my parents, to really get involved in the community and I’ve been fortunate enough to not face these difficulties. Volunteering is my passion.
The OU Food Pantry executive team pictured with the mayor of Norman, Breea Clark (center)./ Courtesy Ethan Maddy
Describe your volunteerism.
I have several volunteer roles, but my primary role is as Student Director for the OU Food Pantry, where I oversee our student volunteer team, manage fundraising campaigns and donations, and coordinate the dozens of food drives we hold each semester on campus. We also provide free donated clothing through the OU Campus Closet. We serve about 120 clients from the OU community each week.
In addition, I am the founder and chair of the Big 12 Food Pantry Alliance, and a volunteer at The Oklahoma Group, which empowers nonprofit organizations. I started volunteering at the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma when I was 10-years-old, and still occasionally volunteer there, as they are a partner of the OU Food Pantry.
Share one personal story with me from your volunteerism.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the food pantry operated like a grocery store and clients could pick what items they wanted off the shelves. One client, a PhD student, came in with his young son. The man was so hesitant to take pantry items because he felt like he was taking too much. He took a few bags of groceries, and ended up coming back later saying he’d worried about paying rent, but because of the food pantry, he was able to pay his rent, feed his child and stay in college. It looked like he was about to cry because of how happy he was. I’m getting emotional now thinking back to it. Ultimately, this man graduated with his PhD. That was such an eye opening experience for me, because I hadn’t been on the front lines like that, and it was really cool to see him pulling himself out of poverty like that.
Why do you think it’s important for others to give back?
There are so many reasons. It brings you joy to volunteer. Whenever I’d be sad or stressed, I would go restock shelves or greet clients at the food pantry. Volunteering creates a more equitable society.
What’s been the most rewarding part of your service?
It’s rewarding to see other people enjoy volunteering. We have over 500 food pantry volunteers, that number has grown over the past few years. Ultimately, that was my goal for the food pantry. I saw it as the one stop shop for everybody’s needs, not just clients. Obviously feeding our clients is most important, but the pantry also exists for people who can come and give back their time to serve. We wouldn’t be where we are without volunteers and donors.
How have you continued to volunteer throughout the pandemic?
We’ve transitioned to an online ordering system. Our clients can still select whatever items they want, but volunteers pack and prepare those items for pickup. We’ve seen a decrease in client numbers because most students and staff were remote, but the food pantry never closed and we’ve recently received more clients, which means more people are more comfortable about coming in.
As a volunteer for the OU Food Pantry, Ethan Maddy has helped to put food on the table for more than 5,000 hungry individuals and their families. Ethan pictured greeting University of Oklahoma President Joseph Harroz./ Courtesy Ethan Maddy
What do you want people to learn from your story?
Hours spent volunteering are never going to be unjustified or unneeded. Every hour our volunteers give is beneficial to the OU community. I’d imagine that is the case outside of our small Oklahoma community as well. If I could mandate volunteerism, I would mandate one hour of volunteerism each day.
In one word, what does volunteering mean to you?
Love.
When you’re not busy volunteering or in school, what do you do for fun?
(Laughs). I adopted a dog a couple years ago. He’s named after Theodore Roosevelt, I call him Teddy. I enjoy spending time with my friends and playing sports.
How can readers help?
We rely on donations to stock the shelves and our annual fundraising month is in April. Please visit our website for more information about how you can help.
Teen Evens the Playing Field for Kids through Sports Equity Programs
Meet Daily Point of Light Award honoree Shay Patel. Read his story and nominate an outstanding volunteer or family as a Daily Point of Light.
Shay Patel understands that even when it feels like you’re lacking, there’s always a chance that you have more than someone else. He was only 11 years old when he arrived early for basketball practice at his local Boys & Girls’ Club public court. He saw Boys & Girls’ Club members playing in flip flops and using volleyballs as basketballs. When he looked down at his own feet, he saw brand new basketball shoes, and realized that he wanted to help fix the equity gap in sports.
Patel immediately went to work. He founded Alley-Oop kids, a nonprofit made by kids for kids, in the fifth grade after that day at the Boys & Girls’ Club and makes it his mission to help every kid experience the joy that comes from sports no matter where they come from.
Patel’s vision for the organization is to enable underserved kids to access positive sports experiences and gear for a greater sense of community, foster healthy lifestyles and teach valuable life skills — and it’s working. With Alley-Oop kids, he’s already raised more than $50,000 for over 20,000 underserved kids.
Now at the age of 17, Patel finds that the mission of Alley-Oop kids has remained the same over the past six years, but it has progressively added more opportunities for youth. He began by collecting sporting gear donations for kids at the Boys & Girls Club and now runs week-long summer training camps.
Alley-Oop is committed to providing access to sporting gear to as many kids as possible because it can mean the difference between playing or sitting out of a game or practice. There’s also financial barriers to adequate sports training for many kids, but Shay works to overcome those obstacles through free summer camps, sponsored professional training and virtual events.
He’s learned that as long as you’re doing something that’s making a difference, it doesn’t matter what age you are.
Shay Patel created Alley-Oop kids in the fifth grade to help every kid experience the joy that comes from sports no matter where they come from./Courtesy Shay Patel
“We’re just trying to do something good for kids in our area and around the world, so people resonate with that, and they don’t care that we’re teenagers because they care about the mission,” Patel said.
Patel and the Alley-Oop team also launched a mobile app to help level the playing field in sports equity. It directly connects individuals who need gear to those who wish to donate it, and includes eLearning and training resources for those unable to leave their home during the COVID-19 pandemic.
They also began to notice that kids and teens weren’t always logging on to virtual school throughout the pandemic. Since it’s common for one household to have only one laptop or computer for both parents and kids, siblings often take turns with technology and miss classes if their brother or sister are utilizing it.
“We saw a big drop in numbers in terms of kids joining classes from underserved communities, and that’s where I was like okay, we need to bring technology into this and give them access to logging into class,” said Patel.
As a result, the Alley-Oop app and website currently has an option to donate devices like laptops and computers that go directly to students.
Volunteers of any age can get involved with sports and educational equity. Starting a gear drive at your school is a great way to start raising awareness and giving back to underserved youth, said Patel. Sporting gear that’s not being used around a home that’s been grown out of or no longer used can easily be given to someone who could benefit from it.
Alley-Oop also started an Ambassador Program last year for volunteers and people looking to make a difference in their community. After completing a brief online survey, anyone at any age from anywhere in the U.S. can get involved with the organization. There are nearly 50 ambassadors who have joined in the first year of the program’s creation and meet regularly via Zoom.
Patel believes that it’s important for others to set a good example for the next generation of changemakers and to not let the fear of rejection prevent you from creating an impact for those in need.
“As much as you can help, it’s going to be appreciated by someone else,” said Patel.
“Leaders of Today” Volunteer Redefines Service to Promote Youth-Led Engagement
Meet Daily Point of Light Award honoree Isabella Wang. Read her story and nominate an outstanding volunteer or family as a Daily Point of Light.
Isabella Wang says volunteering wasn’t originally her idea. “Begrudgingly” volunteering at the insistence of her parents, the Bellevue, Washington student says she was shy as a child, and didn’t fit in as the outspoken, stereotypical leader.
Breaking stereotypes for traditional volunteerism and cultivating leaders of all kinds, 16-year-old Isabella now serves as vice president of Bellevue Youth Link, an organization dedicated to help youth create and lead service opportunities, and is also the founder of Leaders of Today Northwest, one of the many action teams developed through Youth Link. Reinvigorating and amplifying the voices of all social sectors through youth leadership, Isabella has connected with hundreds in her community as she redefines service and promotes youth-led engagement.
What inspires you to volunteer?
My peers are really self-motivated. I work so closely with my community, and to see everyone put in time and effort inspires me to keep volunteering, year after year.
How do you describe your volunteerism evolution?
My volunteerism isn’t glorious or magnificent, but it’s representative of how many kids start off. Youth don’t take one path in identifying how to represent their community. I started off a little hesitant, but throughout my five years of volunteerism, I’ve become really inspired by my peers.
Isabella Wang is breaking stereotypes for traditional volunteerism and cultivating service leaders of all kinds as vice president of Bellevue Youth Link and founder of Youth Link’s action team Leaders of Today Northwest. /Courtesy Isabella Wang
Describe your volunteerism with Bellevue Youth Link.
As vice president of Bellevue Youth Link, I help organize community events across greater Bellevue for our primarily youth volunteers. Students can choose to create their own action teams through Youth Link, and we support them in whatever mission they are trying to pursue, whether that’s coat or food drives, or sending meal kits to local homeless shelters. My action team is called Leaders of Today Northwest, and we try to cultivate leaders of all kinds, not just the one outspoken stereotype of what a leader should be. We hold community events that re-introduce certain sectors of community back into Bellevue. For example, in 2019, we saw that the senior population was isolated from our community and lacked contact to youth, so we held events to get youth and seniors connected.
Share one personal story with me from your volunteerism.
For our Kids Care Coat Drive, we receive hundreds of donated coats which we then organize and distribute to families. It’s really exciting to help families shop for coats they want, and to see adults and kids get badly needed coats, boots and gloves for the colder months. Every time you help a little kid find the coat they’re looking for, their face lights up. That experience on a whole is really impactful.
Why do you think it’s important for others to give back?
If people are privileged enough to volunteer and they have the time, energy and effort to give back to their community, it’s imperative they do so. Volunteering is like giving back what you yourself have received.
What’s been the most rewarding part of your service?
It’s rewarding seeing how happy the events we hold make other people. I am really thankful to have resources, to be able to support my peers, and that we are making a community impact.
How have you continued to volunteer throughout the COVID-19 pandemic?
Because of the intense impact the pandemic had on society in general, we thought it was important for youth to reconnect with themselves and focus on youth identity. We launched the 2021 Leaders of Today Northwest Competition, and are encouraging youth all over the world to submit ideas for change that they’re passionate about. Selected youth will then work with adult mentors, who range from the CEO of a community-orientated non-profit to an MIT Professor, to help realize these changes across issues like civic engagement, community engagement, and technology and innovation.
What do you want people to learn from your story?
Whatever idea you have, don’t be scared to tell someone about it. In the beginning, I was really scared to talk to people about my ideas because I was scared of judgement and criticism, but that input will only strengthen your ideas.
Shy as a child, Isabella says her volunteerism has evolved as she’s grown, having connected with hundreds in her community as she redefines service and youth contribution. /Courtesy Isabella Wang
In one word, what does volunteering mean to you?
Community.
When you’re not busy volunteering or in school, what do you do for fun?
I love drawing. I have also painted a couple of murals. Anything related to visual art is fun.
How can readers help?
Our Leaders of Today Northwest Competition is open to students anywhere grades 6-12, and closes on April 17, 2021. Please find more information and enter the competition here or email us for more information: [email protected].
Asian-American Teens Democratize Services for Youth of Color and Promote Pan-Racial Solidarity
Meet Daily Point of Light Award honoree Frances Leung and Nicole Kim. Read their story and nominate an outstanding volunteer or family as a Daily Point of Light.
United in purpose to better the future for all minorities, Frances Leung and Nicole Kim are a volunteer powerhouse, democratizing services for the BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and people of color) community. As the two teenagers from New York City fight inequities minorities face and drive pan-racial solidarity, it is apropos that the classmates first met in U.S. history class at Hunter College High School.
“Oftentimes, minorities are pitted against one another,” says 17-year-old Nicole. “We wanted to dismantle the rhetoric that exists so we can all have solidarity with one another.”
Founding The Nonstandard Project in February 2020, Nicole and Frances are bringing Gen Z BIPOC youth together to make youth activism communal and accessible. Describing a personal desire to connect with other communities of color as an Asian-American, 18-year-old Frances says building bridges for other POC communities through service has been a healing experience.
“Personally, I didn’t feel POC enough,” says Frances. “There were a lot of males in my life who would say, ‘you’re Asian, you’re not really a person of color.’ That made me want to go back into the POC community to prove I live the POC experience, and now, am creating programs to unify the community across commonalities of the POC experience, even though there are racial and ethnic divides.”
Spanning those divides and celebrating POC youth similarities, Frances, who is Chinese-American and Nicole, who is Korean-American, have connected with more than 100 youth of color across 50 schools in 9 countries worldwide. Both say they recognized the great need for pan-racial solidarity before the COVID-19 pandemic, but as their volunteer efforts launched at the outset of the outbreak in the U.S., cohesiveness in the face of increasing social isolation became even more dire, according to Frances.
Emily Jin, director of finance for The Nonstandard Project, pictured holding up an agenda for BookSTAND, the group’s critical theory book club. Emily Jin: “It always amazes me how (Nicole and Frances) consider perspectives from everywhere. They are always asking questions about how we can better serve groups of people that are left out from our work.” / Courtesy Frances Leung and Nicole Kim
“This organization is adapting virtually to help bridge community even beyond the boundaries of NYC. Addressing issues like anti-blackness in Asian American communities through rhetoric doesn’t really do anything in reality. We are creating relationships beyond racial and ethnic communities for youth of color to understand the importance of what community holds and also support one another through our wellness programs and Affinity Spaces.”
Through programs for BIPOC youth like their “Listen to Us Talk” podcast which touches upon everything from race to politics to pop culture, their virtual Affinity Spaces, Nonstandard’s version of an online open forum, even a biweekly critical theory book club, BookSTAND, Nicole and Frances are giving kids of all backgrounds, including those hit particularly hard during the pandemic like low-income youth, a consistent and desegregated space to advocate and be involved in activism concerning all topics about race. Emphasizing collaborative learning from different perspectives and experiences, their service is also backed up by financial support, donating school supplies for more than 100 students in NYC and raising over $1,000 for NYC mutual aid organizations in the last year. By motivating youth to engage in their communities, Nonstandard has become like a second home to many youth desperate for allies, says Nicole.
“After an Affinity Space call, one participant texted me and said (Affinity Space) was her calming or safe space. That really touched me because she came from a PWI (predominantly white institution), and she said her school wasn’t providing the wellness services she needed. Hearing that made me hopeful people will go out and create their own Affinity Spaces and serve their own communities. Nonstandard serves BIPOC youth and also serves as a catalyst for other BIPOC youth so they can go out and change life for others.”
When asked to describe their volunteerism, both Nicole and Frances say the word “impact” represents how they are serving day in and day out. According to Emily Jin, a classmate and Nonstandard volunteer who serves as Financial Director and also helps with outreach, the impact Frances and Nicole make is greater because of their compassionate service.
“The pandemic took away a lot of opportunities, especially for low-income New York City high school students, who already didn’t have a ton of access,” says Emily. “With everything shutting down, they did an amazing job creating space for BIPOC students to bond with other people in similar circumstances, relax, make friends, talk about political, social and economic issues. Space for discourse that was missing from the school community. (Their volunteerism) is really important in a city as diverse as ours. It always amazes me how (Nicole and Frances) consider perspectives from everywhere. They are always asking questions about how we can better serve groups of people that are left out from our work.”
Working with organizations like Verizon Media’s Built By Girls, Catcalls of NYC and Chinatown Youth Initiative, Nonstandard is helping youth of color to learn from one another and have the confidence to break down existing barriers. Through actions big and small, Nicole says she and Frances are changing lives through their volunteerism, and are in turn, inspiring others to give back to their own communities.
“I’ve seen the way in which volunteerism changes lives. As someone who has been involved with service for a really long time, I hear participants and community members talk about how (Nonstandard) makes their day. They’re inspired to participate while embracing their own identities. It’s that personal change that really fuels the work we do and why we spend so much time on it.”
Volunteering together has strengthened their friendship, says Frances, who says the two teens have bonded over helping to improve the lives of others.
“We’ve become better friends through the work we do and bonding over shared experiences we didn’t even know we shared. In order to identify what the community needs, you need to first think about what you would want.”
Teen’s Global Service Connects Hundreds Through Language Amid COVID-19 Pandemic
Meet Daily Point of Light Award honoree Meera Kochhar. Read her story and nominate an outstanding volunteer or family as a Daily Point of Light.
A true linguaphile, 17-year-old Meera Kochhar can speak or is learning a total of five languages. The love the Lake Mary, Florida high school senior has for languages is one she is paying forward by helping to increase access to language learning amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
While learning at home because of school closures, Meera realized how disconnected her peers were as they attempted to prepare for exams in the spring of 2020. Launching Connecting Through Language in April 2020, Meera is providing free language services to students around the world who lost valuable access to educational opportunities due to historic school closures and social distancing measures. Starting first by connecting classmates from her Spanish AP class with students in Puerto Rico so the groups could learn together, Meera has now helped more than 700 students across 55 countries.
What inspires you to volunteer?
I’m inspired to volunteer because of the sense of fulfillment it provides. It’s hard to find lasting happiness in anything, but in helping others, we find lasting happiness. We feel good about ourselves because we’re using our energy properly.
How are you giving back through language learning?
It’s my philosophy that by contributing and making life for others better, I am fulfilling my purpose on this earth. People work really hard to become proficient in English, something we don’t value until we start teaching it, because it’s so natural for us.
Describe your volunteerism with Connecting Through Language.
As founder and CEO, I coordinate our volunteer tutors, who are all high school students, and pair them with participants, who range from kids to adults. I also design the class curriculum, we offer free language learning in three languages, French, English and Spanish. I also manage our online presence and communication and tutor classes myself.
Founding Connecting Through Language, Meera provides free language services to students around the world who lost valuable access to educational opportunities due to historic school closures and social distancing measures amid the COVID-19 pandemic./ Courtesy Meera Kochhar
Share one personal story with me from your volunteerism.
During our English classes, I noticed a lot of youth, especially students in India, who were very shy and weren’t connecting with the community. I encouraged them to start volunteering and we even offered Zoom classes teaching these students how to start their own service projects. One girl was inspired by our classes and developed a personality development class. She’s since connected with about 100 students globally to help youth develop their confidence and find a sense of purpose. Despite our age, youth can have a profound impact on the lives of others.
Why do you think it’s important for others to give back?
We all have to contribute to make the change we want to see. If we want to see improvements in our community, we have to do it ourselves.
What’s been the most rewarding part of your service?
It’s rewarding to see how we are boosting the confidence of these students by improving their language, but it’s translated to other parts of their lives as well. I’m not just helping one individual, I’m helping their entire family and community, because they are sometimes the bread winners and are able to better support their families through these classes.
What’s the future of your volunteerism look like?
We are increasingly reliant on technology to connect, so our platform is sustainable. A lot of times people don’t have this special help to learn a language in their communities, so they rely on us to make global connections.
What do you want people to learn from your story?
If you have an idea, just go with it. You never know how big of an impact you could have. I started this service to help my classmates, but I never imagined I’d reach so many different people in so many countries. Just keep on volunteering and you’ll do better than you expect.
In one word, what does volunteering mean to you?
Impact.
When you’re not busy in school or volunteering, what do you do for fun?
I love learning languages. I’m currently learning Sanskrit and I love cooking. ‘Dharma’ is my favorite word in Sanskrit. It’s so hard to translate into English, but it has a lot to do with Hindu philosophy.
How can readers help?
Please visit our website for more information about how you can become a student or help our organization.
