Lily the Bernese Mountain dog is very proud of all of her heroes. These kids
are really something - they are very active in their community and have
learned the importance of giving. You can be one of Lily's Heroes
too! Want to learn more or need some ideas? Click on "Become a Hero". Is
one of your pals doing something really cool that helps people?
Check out "Nominate a Kid".
Lily hopes
that kids (and parents) will be inspired by these stories. Many of
these ideas can be copied and carried out right in your own neighborhood.
If you appear on our website in this section, you will be entitled to a free certificate.
Dylan Mahalingam is the founder and CEO of Lil’ MDGs, a unique international development and youth empowerment organization. Dylan is 14 years old and resides in Derry, New Hampshire. Dylan founded Lil' MDGs, a non-profit based in New Hampshire, when he was 9 years old; Lil’ MDGs mission is to leverage the power of the Internet to educate, engage, empower, and inspire children in all corners of the world to help meet the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
Lil’ MDGs now has more than 20,000 volunteers hailing from 39 countries. To date, Lil' MDGs has rallied youth from around the world to raise more than $780,000 for tsunami relief and over $10 million for hurricane relief. In addition, Dylan has mobilized youth to raise funds and resources to build schools, dorms, libraries, playgrounds, community gardens, and more in several countries. To date, through Jayme’s Fund, they have awarded over $70,000 in grants to fund projects around the world. In 2009, Lil’ MDGs was recognized by the United Nations as the best practice in e-content and technological creativity, demonstrating young people’s potential to create outstanding digital content and serving as a platform for people from all UN member states to work together to meet the MDGs.
Dylan is a youth speaker for the United Nations Environment Programme and United Nations Development Programme, and he travels internationally to speak to various groups. Dylan is also a panelist and speaker for the United Nations Global Forum on ICT & Development. Dylan was also invited by the UN to work on the UN worldwide campaign on Climate Change. Dylan is part of a small tribe of designers and architects in the field of K-12 education. In this tribe, Dylan represents children in grades K-12 in the USA, and he helps to reshape the learning environment of the future. Dylan is the only youth and only student in this committee of adults and experts in the field. Dylan has been featured in various media, both nationally and internationally, and will be featured in a new book to be published in 2010 by the American Academy of Pediatrics’ Council of Communications and Media. Most recently, Disney has selected Lil’ MDGs to be one of its ongoing participating volunteer opportunities in NH. Dylan is the recipient of numerous national and international awards for his philanthropic work.
Haven and her friend, Kate organized a readathon to raise money to buy Spanish books for a library in a remote village of the Dominican Republic. Together through their efforts, they raised $450 to by the books!
Jenna has raised over $1800 for the Kernicterus Research Fund at the Medical College of Virginia by organizing a youth talent show in Jacksonville, Florida. The inspiration for Jenna's project is her cousin, Lexi, who has born highly jaundiced and was not treated for this after her birth. This left her with a condition called kernicterus. Lexi is now 7 years old. She is very smart, but was left unable to control her muscles. She cannot walk, talk, or dance- yet. This past summer, Lexi underwent Deep Brain Stimulation surgery. Stimulators were placed in Lexi's brain and "Hope", Lexi's stimulator controller, was implanted in her stomach.
Jenna's Acts of Inspiration show was held August 31 and included 10 acts. Over 30 young people, aged 5-18, participated. They sang, danced, and juggled all to celebrate and honor the extraordinary life of Lexi. Lexi lives in Charlotte, North Carolina, but will be visiting Jacksonville in a few weeks and is so excited to meet her new friends. Jenna's Acts of Inspiration has an audience of over 175 people. Tickets were sold for $5 and sponsorships were accepted. Jenna not only entertained her audience, but she educated her audience about this rare condition and how everyone can help. The show ended with the entire audience singing the song, "To Life!" from Fiddler on the Roof.
Jenna's Acts of Inspiration took a tremendous effort for Jenna to organize. She had to plan the show and attract quality acts, advertise the show and get sponsors and produce the show. We are so proud of Jenna for her wonder Act of Inspiration and we are also so proud how happy it made Lexi to know how much people care about her.
Daniel has been raising money for The Smile Train, an organization that trains doctors, in over 75 poor countries in the world, to perform lip and cleft palate surgeries. Children receive free surgeries and their lives are forever changed for the better. Daniel has raised over $20,000.00 by performing eye shocking amazing yo-yo tricks, performing at festivals, parties, shows and street performing and asking for donations. He is also sponsored by a yo-yo company and sells yo-yos where all the profits go toward The Smile Train.
As long as children still need surgeries, Daniel will keep on yo-yoing.
Maria has started Read Indeed, a literacy organization in which Maria wants to collect and distribute 1 million books to needy kids by the time she's 18. So far Maria has collected and distributed more than 250,000 books since the program's inception in the spring of 2009. She has distributed books as far away as Africa, Costa Rica, and the Phillipines. Thousands of books have been distributed regionally as well.
For months, a group of 14 year-old girls talked about starting a charity. They were determined to make a difference in someone’s life, but never seemed to agree on “who, what, where or how”. They did however have the answer to the most important question. “Why?”
In the spring of 2007, the girls saw an Oprah episode and were shocked to see children from Ghana, Africa, being sold for as little as $20 by their families, unknowingly, into a life of servitude. They were heartbroken that something like this was actually happening in the world. Ghana was so far away but the International Organization for Migration was making it possible for people to sponsor rescue missions that would save trafficked children from a life of hard labor and abuse. The girls found out it would cost approximately $4300 to save one child from these inhumane and brutal conditions. The children are provided with rehabilitation, and are reunited with their families. This would include 2½ years of counseling, career training, education and healthcare. The girls decided to make bracelets and package them on cards that would educate people about what was going on in the fishing villages of Ghana. They designed a necklace with eight wooden beads, representing each of the girls, which surrounds a recycled glass bead made in Ghana. Tee shirts were made with their logo, 1>0, and their tag line “Be Part of the Equation.”
Although the girls wanted to raise money they were equally determined to raise social awareness. Do anything. Do something. It is such a simple premise. How easily the world could change if everyone embraced that philosophy. The girls soon learned that so many people were willing to help. The website, printing, legal consultation, photography, tee shirts, etc… have all been donated by people wanting to be part of the equation. People started organizing fundraisers to support “One is Greater than None” and in the summer of 2007 their “One Is Greater Than None” clothing line was launched.
County: Nassau NY, USA
School: Unspecified
Felicia’s sister Anna created GAB as her 2006 high school graduation project with students and community of Wolfsville Elementary School assisting in the drive. The drive in 2006, with close to 900 books collected, benefitted Lincoln Elementary School’s Reading Rack program, Wolfsville Elementary School teacher’ classrooms, and Frederick County Head Start. Anna’s goal was for GAB to continue throughout her college and adult life.
This year, Felicia, with the mentoring of Anna organized this year’s school wide project, to solely benefit Frederick County Head Start. The school’s guidance counselor and the fifth grade peer mentors supported Felicia’s efforts helping make classroom signs and collection boxes along with a take home flyer.
Adam's Dad was diagnosed with colon cancer in September of 2008 and had surgery in October of that same year. Many friends from our baseball family urged us to come to the Hunter’s Creek Relay for Life held the second weekend in November.
The three of us attended. We were all taken in by the event, by the support from friends and strangers alike. Steve registered as a Survivor.
It was at that time that Adam (then age 9) turned to me and said that we had to have a team next year and be part of finding a cure for cancer. He made me promise. Time went on. Steve went through 6 months of chemo. It was a difficult time for the family, but especially Adam. He has a wonderful relationship with his dad. Steve is the type of dad that is always doing something with him. Steve is his baseball coach. He takes Adam fishing. You name it. They are on the go all the time. Anyway, Steve could not do all the things that he did before.
When Hanna was just seven years old, she received a devastating diagnosis: stage four Burkitt's lymphoma.
Hanna fought through months of intense chemotherapy and persevered all the way to the gates of the Magic Kingdom, where her Make-A-Wish to visit Disney World was fulfilled.
Hanna returned home with a heart full of hope and a new dream to fulfill. She decided to raise funds for the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Massachusetts and Rhode Island, to help other children with life-threatening medical conditions experience hope.
With help from her dad, Hanna filled a heart-shaped black walnut shell with melted crayon to create a beautiful necklace. She told her parents that she wanted to make and sell more necklaces - and donate all the proceeds to the Foundation.
Recently, the Make-A-Wish Foundation of America presented Hanna with the 2009 Lori Schulz-Betancourt Indomitable Spirit Award. To date, Hanna has raised over $20,000 to support children's wishes in Massachusetts.
"Hanna is a shining example of the power of a wish," said Charlotte Beattie, Chief Executive Officer of the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Massachusetts and Rhode Island. "She was so inspired by her wish that she wanted to share her experience with other children. In turn, we are inspired by Hanna - by her courage, her creativity, and of course, her indomitable spirit!"
Jasper Lee has turned his fly fishing hobby into a larger pursuit by helping and working with wounded and disabled Iraqi through Vietnam era veterans to readjust into society and feel good about themselves, learn about the environment, the waters, and develop a skill through the healing powers of fly fishing. Jasper is a founding member of the NYC chapter (VANY) and works hands on with veterans of all eras in this selfless pursuit.
Veteran Anglers of New York (VANY) & Project Healing Waters are non-profit volunteer organization dedicated to the recovery and rehabilitation of disabled active duty military personnel and veterans through the therapeutic benefits of fly fishing. Their goal is to support veterans with disabilities who have endured the stress of serving in harm’s way.
Aidan Hornaday has a heart to show other children to find their passion in giving. He is a self taught harmonica player and the first night he played in a restaurant, he got $80 in tips. He immediately decided to take that money and donate it to charity that buys anti-parasite medication. This motivation was because his mom read him a newsletter the week before telling about that particular need.
He has since then, carried his harmonica case everywhere and has played at restaurants, on street corners, at corporate, private and other happenings. He has raised over $3000 since October of 2008. Now he is partnering with the IMAGINE There's no Hunger program at Hard Rock Cafe that sells bracelets and merchandise to fund schools in the poorest parts of the world. Aidan's vision is to make a difference now, and "not wait." We hope through his work and the awareness built helps parents realize that part of childhood should be infused with giving. Just like any other life skill, it can change not only the lives of the recipients, but also the lives of a child that may be called to give as a life's work.
Jacob Krause is a huge basketball fan who was diagnosed with severe Ulcerative Colitis in April 2009 while in third grade. He has been treated throughout 2009 at John's Hopkins Children's Center (JHCC) in Baltimore, Maryland. He wanted to help other kids who were fighting Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (like UC and Crohn's) so he decided to host a fundraiser consisting of a Basketball Free Throw Tournamant and Silent Auction to support Pediatric GI research for the Crohn's/Colitis Foundation of America and JHCC. Working with his parents, in only 11 weeks - he enlisted the support of local sports and political personalities such as Washington Wizards broadcasters Phil Chenier and Steve Buckhantz, USA Today sportswriter David DuPree and Howard County Executive Ken Ulman. On November 7th, 2009 - the event was held at Chapelgate Christian Academy in Marriottsville, MD. The Inaugural Crohn's/Colitis ShootOut & Silent Auction had 107 contestants, drew almost 350 guests, had over 140 auction items and raised $14,200.00! Since his fundraising efforts started in September, he has helped raise over $31,000 to fight these diseases. He is already planning to make this event annual (with his parents help) and is doing everything possible to get the word out on these diseases.
He has been featured on the WJZ (Baltimore) news "Health Report" and his story has been listed in the Howard County Times/Baltimore Sun among other places.
He has dedicated himself to helping other kids with these diseases and is partnering with Johns Hopkins and the Crohn's/Colitis Foundation of America to speak to as many kids as possible.
He has inspired us all and we are so proud of his efforts!
Grace celebrated her 11th birthday by asking guests invited to her party to donate to her "hero" friend Mandy Mossburg's charity, "HorseNet Rescue", in lieu of gifts. She raised $245 for the charity. Her father and I are very proud of her!
Courtney has written and published a children's book about a mischievous cat who learns that regardless of his actions, he will always be loved by his family. The book was published in May of 2009, and since then has sold just under 100 copies. Courney has dedicated a portion of her sales to benefit the SPCA of Texas because of her love of animals. In hopes of selling additional books and being able to donate more money to the SPCA, she continutes to promote her book using a local PR group.
Her heart is big for animals and has a deep concern for the safety and well being for all of them. Courtney's drive to help those in need is strong, which is why she is a true hero.
Riley Carney is passionate about literacy. When she was fourteen years old she learned that 120 million children do not have access to education and so she created a nonprofit called Breaking the Chain with the goal of breaking the bonds of illiteracy and poverty for children around the world. Thus far, she has raised enough money to build a school and a water purification system, and provide alternative income sources and basic medical supplies for a village in Kenya and a village in Sierra Leone. She is currently raising money to adopt another village in Sierra Leone. She has created a children’s literacy center in a woman’s shelter in Colorado, and she has purchased over 1000 new children's books for Reach Out and Read and The Heart of America Foundation.
In addition, Riley has written a five-book fantasy adventure story for ages 9-14. The first book in the series, The Fire Stone: Book One of The Reign of the Elements was just published. Ms. Carney wrote a fantasy series for ages 9-14 because she believes that fantasy engages imaginations and inspires young people to read at an age when many kids, especially boys, stop reading. Some of the proceeds from Riley's book sales go to her literacy programs. Riley has always been concerned with the welfare of children since they cannot advocate for themselves, and because there are so many tragic things that happen to children around the world and they have no control over their own destinies. Riley believes that the cycle of exploitation and poverty can be broken through education and that the most important thing we can do to help children take control over their own lives is to provide them with the ability to read.
