Magaling Tayo Kids!

A Place to Call Home Kristen Thomas, teenage

Teenager Kristen Thomas and her friends Jenna and Danielle collect donations of toys, toiletries, baby food, and bibles that they then put together as care packages to distribute among the homeless in the Denver area.

Alex's Lemonade Stand Alexandra "Alex" Scott, 4 years old

Two days before Alex Scott's first birthday she was diagnosed with cancer. At the age of four, Alex decided to do something to make that cure more likely. She opened her first lemonade stand in July of 2000 with the idea of donating the proceeds to "her hospital." Each year since, Alex held an annual lemonade stand in her front yard. On August 1, 2004, Alex died peacefully at the age of 8. As word has spread, donations have poured in from around the world, and Alex's Lemonade Stand has already raised over $5 million for pediatric cancer research.

Care Bags Foundation Annie Wignall, 11 years old

Annie Wignall of Newton is the founder and director of the Care Bags Foundation, an organization which provides essential, fun, safe, and age appropriate things (games, toothbrushes, books, etc.) to kids during difficult times in their lives.

Carolyn's Compassionate Children Carolyn Rubenstein, 13 years old

Carolyn Rubenstein founded Carolyn's Compassionate Children in 1999 when she was 13 years old which links critically ill childen and children with life challenges with volunteer teens in schools through letter writing.

Chores-For-Charity Ilana Rothbein, 17 years old

Ilana Rothbein founded Chores-For-Charity as a way to raise money for FACES (Finding a Cure for Epilepsy and Seizures). Juggling schoolwork, sports, social activities, and part-time work, she found it very difficult to organize a fundraiser. Instead, Ilana decided to donate the money from her babysitting jobs to FACES and encouraged other kids to do the same.

Cody’s Individual Comfort Kits Cody Clark, 12 years old

"Cody's Individual Comfort Kits" are to be given to young patients to help make their visit to the hospital a more comfortable, less frightening experience. Following a fundraising drive in September 2002 Cody assembled the first comfort kits, which contain books, blankets, videos, toys, rattles, and other things to make a child's stay at hospital easier.

Free the Children Craig Kielburger, 12 years old
After reading an article about a 12 year-old Pakistani boy who was murdered for speaking out against child labor in his country, 12 year-old Craig Kielburger of Toronto, Canada decided to start an organization where kids could help increase awareness of child labor and child poverty around the world, and take action to combat these problems. Free the Children has branches in over 35 countries.

Grandma's Gifts Emily Douglas, 9 years old

Inspired by the memory of her grandmother who lived in Appalachian Ohio, 9 year-old Emily Douglas established a nonprofit organization called Grandmas Gifts. Since 1992, Emily has raised over half a million dollars worth of food, clothing, toys, books, and educational field trips for schools, children, and organizations in the area. Emily hopes that Grandma's Gifts will raise awareness of economic hardship in the Appalachian Ohio region, bridge the cultural gap between Appalachia and the rest of the United States, and show other young people how service to the community can be a fun and worthwhile endeavor.

Kids For A Clean Environment (F.A.C.E.) Melissa Poe, 9 years old
Kids F.A.C.E. is an international children's environmental organization started in 1989 by 9 year-old Melissa Poe of Nashville, TN. The club was established to provide a way for children to be involved in the protection of nature and connect them with other children who shared their concerns about global environmental issues. Kids F.A.C.E. currently has 300,000 members worldwide, and together they've planted over a million trees!

Kids Helping Kids Mischa Zimmermann, 13 years old
In 1997, a year after being diagnosed with a brain tumor, Mischa Zimmermann established Kids Helping Kids. A nonprofit volunteer organization run by teens to benefit teens and children affected by catastrophic illness or injury, KHK provides support with peer interaction, mobility equipment, and special wishes while also raising awareness of the life changes these individuals and their families face. The teens who are a part of KHK often help with event and activity planning, learning the value of contributing their time and developing a profound sense of commitment to something bigger than themselves.

Kids Konnected Jon Wagner-Holtz, 11 years old
Eleven year-old Jon Wagner-Holtz started Kids Konnected in 1993 after his mother was treated for breast cancer. Jon founded Kids Konnected because he couldn't find any programs that could help him find other kids to talk to who knew what it was like to have a sick parent. Kids Konnected started in California and now has programs across the United States. The organization offers a 24 hour hotline, an email newsletter, a chatroom, monthly meetings, resources, and summer camps.

Kids Saving the Rainforest Janine Licare Andrews and Aislin Livingstone, 9 years old
When they were nine years old, Janine Licare Andrews and Aislin Livingstone sold painted rocks at a roadside table in Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica to raise money to help protect local rainforests and endangered wildlife. In 1999, the girls opened a store to sell their artwork as well as the work of local artists and craftspeople. All of the store's profits go toward preserving rainforest land, rehabilitating baby animals, and educating people around the world about the connection between humans and nature.

Kids Who Care Foundation Risha, 7 years old
Risha, a 7 year-old who underwent an Auto Islet Cell Transplant for Chronic Pancreatitis in March 2004, understands very well the challenges of being in the hospital room and staring at the bare white walls! The Kids Who Care Foundation, a nonprofit organization, was founded by Risha to help and support other kids with Pancreatitis and other chronic diseases. Rishas mission is to brighten the days at the hospital for kids that are having major surgeries. She does this by making cards with the help of friends and neighbors. She sends them cards with the hope of making them feel better and making their rooms cheerful from kids who care.

Ryan's Well Foundation Ryan Hrelijac, 6 years old
At the age of six, Ryan Hrelijac learned that without access to clean water people become ill and sometimes even die. He set out to raise $70 towards building a well in Africa and, having reached his goal in four months, Ryan kept working and organizing. He has now raised over $1,000,000 and his work has helped to change the lives of thousands of people in Africa who might not otherwise have been able to lead healthy, normal lives. Ryan's Well Foundation has come together to continue this important and inspiring work.

Streaming Futures Joel Holland, 15 years old
Streaming Futures is a free, web-based career program dedicated to helping teens choose the right career path by allowing them to watch internet-based video interviews with career professionals from a wide variety of fields. Founded by Joel Holland when he was 15, Streaming Futures received funding from Nortel Networks and the federal government and became part of the Nortel Networks Kidz Online content program. The online show is seen in thousands of high school classrooms across the country and continues to grow as Joel travels around the nation interviewing success stories in all types of careers.

Students for Organ Donation Richard Ludlow, 17 years old

Students for Organ Donation is a student-run, nonprofit organization dedicated to helping close the gap between the supply and demand for vital organs and tissue. Working within the framework of universities throughout the nation, Students for Organ Donation seeks to promote organ donation, awareness, and registration among students, staff, and members of the community.

Students Together for Autism Research (S.T.A.R.) Matthew Cortland and Tina Liu, 18 and 17 years old
S.T.A.R. was founded in 2005 by Matthew Cortland and Tina Liu, both juniors at Cherokee High School in Marlton, NJ. This organization began as a small group raising money and walking at the Autism Walk, and now has burgeoned into Students Together for Autism Research! As co-founders of this organization, Matthew and Tina are determined to spread S.T.A.R. across the nation to raise student awareness about Autism. S.T.A.R. encourages student involvement to aid in raising Autism awareness through community service and fundraising and by creating S.T.A.R. clubs in schools across the country.

TakingITGlobal Jennifer Corriero and Michael Furdyk, 19 and 17 years old

The TakingITGlobal Online Community sprung from a conversation between its two co-founders, Jennifer Corriero and Michael Furdyk, aged 19 and 17 at the time, who were striving to use technology to improve education and opportunities for youth around the world. Jennifer and Michael wanted to share their business and leadership experiences with other youth and provide them with empowering, meaningful experiences. As young tech-savvy leaders, they were able to make their visions a reality with the help of a core team of volunteers equally dedicated to the mission of TIG. The source of energy and imagination behind TakingITGlobal continues to grow with innovation, an entrepreneurial spirit, and a desire to make positive change in the world.

Teen Force Bryan MacDonald

Brynn MacDonald founded Teen Force after a teen advice site she volunteered with shut down. Brynn is dedicated to building Teen Force into the best worldwide outreach program for teens. The website offers one-on-one, teen-to-teen advice as well as online teen programs, teen-written articles, and a place for teens to share their stories.

The Cello Cries On Jason Crowe

Jason Crowe started the Cello Cries On in 1998 in the wake of the mortar attack on civilians standing in a Sarajevo market during the war in Bosnia-Hercegovina. The attack killed 22 people. Jason was ten years old when he started the Cello Cries On, named in honor of Vedran Smailovic, a cellist in the Sarajevo Opera Orchestra who visited the market the day after the attack and proceeded to play his cello in the market for 22 days in memory of the people who died in the attack. The main project of the Cello Cries On is to raise money for the creation of a statue that will be given to the citizens of Bosnia-Hercegovina from kids around the world in the name of peace and harmony. Jason also publishes The Informer, a newspaper for kids that has readers in 29 states and 15 countries.

The Victorian Hands Foundation

After watching a television special on elder abuse, she wanted to help the seniors in her community. Through the organization, youth volunteers work to make seniors feel loved and appreciated through programs like "Adopt a Grandparent."

Unite for Sight Jennifer Staple, 18 years old

Unite For Sight, an organization founded in 2000 by 18 year-old Jennifer Staple, is dedicated to preventing blindness through free community vision screenings, public education about eye disease and the importance of regular eye exams to prevent blindness, a speaker series, and an eyeglass drive. V

Youth Action International and PeaceForKids.Org Kimmie Weeks, Teenager

Youth Action International and PeaceForKids.Org were founded by Kimmie Weeks to give young people a chance to participate in pressing humanitarian problems around the world. Since its establishment, Youth Action International has raised thousands of dollars for humanitarian programs and Kimmie Weeks has been a huge activist for child soldiers and an inspiration to U.S. children. Kimmie has been working on projects for peace since he was 11 years old.

Youth for Environmental Sanity—YES! Ocean Robbins and Ryan Eliason, 16 and 19 years old
Youth for Environmental Sanity was founded in 1990 by 16 year-old Ocean Robbins and 19 year-old Ryan Eliason to educate, inspire, and empower youth to join forces for social justice and environmental sanity. YES! supports youth committed to building a just and sustainable world, helping young changemakers to expand effectiveness, network with one another, and gain the support they'll need for a lifetime of action. YES! alumni have persuaded schools and businesses to purchase recycled products, offer organic and vegetarian options in cafeterias, retrofit their lighting, and offer anti-prejudice trainings.

Youth for a Better World Lindsay and Brittany Logsdon

Lindsay Logsdon of Amherstburg, Ontario, Canada started Youth for a Better World with her sister Brittany in September 2000 because they wanted to help solve problems they saw around the world. Youth for a Better World has organized fundraisers for the local battered women's shelter and a food bank and collected toys to send to a children's hospital in East Timor. They also sponsor a child through World Vision Canada.