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[[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_large","fid":"39364","attributes":{"class":"media-image","typeof":"foaf:Image","style":"","alt":""}}]]You can still nominate a youth in grades 6-11 for The Power of Children Awards through midnight, May 18, 2012.
Youth philanthropy is vital in our world today. We try to instill humility and compassion in our children to help make them wise and caring adults. We strive to teach understanding and independent thinking to prepare them for the real world. Youth philanthropy teaches all of these elements and allows them to grow up appreciating the differences they can make.
Nominator Sharon Stark shares her story about 2010 winner Ben Gormley.
As Director of HealthNet’s Homeless Initiative Program, a comprehensive community program serving the homeless of Indianapolis since 1988, I was honored to nominate Ben Gormley for the Power of Children Awards in 2010 for his project “Operation Backpack.”
When I nominated Ben, he had been collecting, cleaning and repairing used backpacks, filling them with hygiene items, socks, gloves and hats and delivering them to our Street Outreach Team since October of 2008, when he was just 12 years old. In order to accomplish this, Ben met with middle school principals for permission to set up collection sites, convinced students and teachers to donate used backpacks, and enlisted friends to help him with the project. He put notices in school newsletters and Church bulletins and established a collection center at the Kwik Kleen Coin-Op Laundry where he cleaned the backpacks.
Ben is now a sophomore in high school and still collecting and delivering backpacks to the Homeless Initiative Program – over 500 and counting. Ben’s belief in the importance of his project is demonstrated by his continued commitment to purpose and his ability to motivate others to help in the cause. Ben was inspired by a visit to Wheeler Men’s Mission to help those men who seemed so alone and in need of care. There are other children like Ben who see a need and find a way to fill it; to make a difference in the lives of others. That’s why I nominated Ben, and why I would encourage others to recognize those exceptional children in your community with a nomination to this year’s Power of Children Awards.
For more informaton on Ben Gormley's project, watch his video.
For more information on the awards, please go to our webpage: http://www.childrensmuseum.org/poca
