Every parent I talk to undeniably wants the same thing for their kids: to be good, caring people.

The conversation is usually followed by these sentiments: I’m so busy with work/play/shuttling kids around and although giving back is important to me, how do I pass that along to my kids without feeling like I’m forcing it on them? How do I make them really understand how lucky they are and actually make them WANT to give? And maybe even make it something they’re pushing ME to do, so we all make it a priority as a family?

This was the same problem Marin mom Kala Shah conveyed to me when we met four years ago at a LinkedIn mixer. Over lunch, we discussed how to make it easy for kids (and parents) to take action and voila — Go Inspire Go’s Community Heroes club was born. Since then, we’ve created an inspiring, innovative and fun program that entertains, educates and empowers kids to care, share and to discover and use their superhero power(s) to help others. And it’s working!

When you put storytelling, fun and conversation into the mix, lots of folks feel like they have permission to let go and join the fun. The proof is in the action.

We’re now in four Marin schools and are working to create an open framework toolkit to bring this impactful program to a wider audience.

The hundreds of Community Heroes kids who have participated in the club inspired Kala and other parents to create an annual supersized event in 2014 called the “Day of Giving.” I wish I could bottle up the fun, magic and buzz from our 3rd annual Day of Giving this past weekend, which was the biggest to date.

Even though I am a professional communicator, it’s hard for me to convey in words the fun, magic and joy we witnessed, so we’ll show you in pictures… and a video (stay tuned):

My eyes welled up, chills ran up my spine and my smile stretched wide as I witnessed 250 kids and parents partake in nine service projects over four hours on the morning of Sunday, March 6. After an energizing Zumba session led by instructor Rachel Hubbard, Kala and I kicked off the event with a quick superhero powwow that outlined the day’s super service-oriented activities:

• Assembling more than 150 care kits for Center for Domestic Peace, Homeward Bound of Marin, San Rafael Downtown Streets Team
• Creating 92 superhero capes for UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals of San Francisco and Oakland
• Preparing gourmet meals with cupcakes and cards for nine families at Homeward Bound of Marin’s Family Emergency Shelter
• Stocking five classrooms with school supplies, games and keychains for foster kid students at Timothy Murphy School for Boys
• Building four ocean cleanup boxes with All One Ocean
• Crafting 100 tissue flowers and delivering them to seniors at AlmaVia retirement home, who were also interviewed by students about their lives
• Making 20 good luck gnomes for Lake County fire victim families
• Restoring 1/4 acres of wetland at McInnis Park by removing invasive, non-native plants, in cooperation with Marin County Parks — muddy and physical work!
• Raising awareness about endangered animals through a Vallecito-student inspired art show that also brought in close to $80 to benefit WildCare
• Sharing stories at our Go Inspire Go Inspiration Station and learning about Canal Alliance‘s “My Immigration Story” project

One of my favorite quotes is from the late Maya Angelou: “When you learn, teach. When you get give.” I want to take it a step further and say, “When you give, you get so much more.”

A huge unexpected thing I witnessed was how much the parents needed this.

I was surprised to see some parents came to volunteer without their children.

Another parent pulled me aside and told me, “Our kids need this program so much. I don’t know how to get my son to care about something other than himself. He’s always on the computer.” The parent also admitted while he was grateful for his current life/situation, there were times when he was in the shoes of the folks our kids served during the Day of Giving.

“Sometimes me and my family were a paycheck away from being homeless,” he explained, teary-eyed. “There’s been times when the fridge was empty and I didn’t know how I was going to get food for my family.”

This fun project/program continues to be food for the soul for me, Kala and the community that finds the heroes within themselves to give back.

Perhaps we should call next year’s event the “Day of Getting”?

Action Items
1. Like our Facebook page and follow us @GoInspireGo
2. Check out our Day of Giving photo album and if you were there, post your own pics by tagging #ComHeroes #DayofGiving
3. If you believe in our mission, please consider donating. We are volunteer-run and have a dream to expand our work. Check out our website to learn more about what we do. Every dollar counts — thank you!

What can you do?

Onward and upward,
Toan

The post A Monumental ‘Day of Giving’ Brings Out Superheroes of All Ages appeared first on Go Inspire Go.

We first featured Nico Castro three years ago when he was a very ill 6-year-old. He was recovering from a brain tumor measuring a little more than four inches in diameter. In the throes of his illness — in true superhero fashion — Nico wanted to help others. At the time, Nico was undergoing five days of cancer treatment. His wish was to be Batman for Halloween and go trick-or-treating. But things got tricky and bittersweet when doctors granted him a day off from treatment to enjoy his favorite holiday.

He told his Mom and Dad he was sad because the other kids in the hospital didn’t get to dress up and go trick-or-treating. He wanted to bring the spirit of Halloween to the kids. We got the bat signal and helped him bring Halloween to those kids. Grab a tissue, here’s what happened when we told his story:

The Act

This little Halloween hero with a big heart asked his parents if they could buy costumes and treats for the kids in the cancer ward. “I was sad they wouldn’t have candy,” Nico explained. His mother Marlene and her husband Raul Castro were moved by his thoughtfulness, however, it would be impossible to buy costumes and goodies for the more than 50 sick kids in the hospital. The family took a big financial hit after Nico’s diagnosis.

Nico knows what it feels like to have to sit on the sidelines during the holidays. In November 2011, instead of celebrating, he was in the hospital too ill to take part in the festivities. He was diagnosed with medulloblastoma, cancer of the cerebellum. But during this scary time, all he could think about was if he would be healthy enough to celebrate Halloween.

Nico and his family took action and started a costume drive. At first they received about 20 costumes. This Go Inspire Go story activated more heroes across America:

It’s amazing to see how the community comes together when they’re given a healthy dose of inspiration. After meeting Nico, I quickly realized his superhero power is inspiring people to expand their minds, be more compassionate and to open their hearts. Donations and kind acts poured in, including superhero capes, goodie bags filled with toys, balloons and more. Nico’s efforts resulted in donations more than 200 costumes and about $1,200 in cash.

“We were so surprised from the support outside of our community. The community really came together and packages of costumes are coming from Pennsylvania, Illinois and Texas,” Raul, Nico’s dad said. “The costumes, the little trinkets that the kids in the beds are getting…just an instant and it changes their demeanor and whole attitude about being sick.”

The Ripples

Today, Nico in stable condition and cancer-free. He is coping with the residual effects of the treatment that have affected his cognitive learning. He was pulled out of his school and was put into a special school for students with mild to moderate learning disabilities. Marlene says Nico isn’t happy about being in a different school. “He cried the first day and wants to be back at his regular school with his old friends.” Their goal is to get Nico’s cognitive learning up to speed so he can return to his regular school.

Nico’s mother describes him as having become very empathetic toward other kids who are not the average child as a result of his illness. “He’s very aware of the differences in people,” she said.

Last year, we gifted Nico with a puppy. He and his siblings love Lucky and fight over getting to sleep with him. He’s a calm dog who brings love to their home.

Take Action

Marlene believes in the power of prayer: please pray for Nico’s health and general well-being. “He gets emotional,” Marlene said. “Why did God have to give me cancer? I just want to be Nico, not Nico the cancer patient.”

Raise awareness for childhood cancer and support research to end this horrid disease: Volunteer, share this story, make a donation. Marlene recommendations organizations that give 100 percent of the proceeds to the cause like St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, St. Baldrick’s Foundation and Juliana’s Journey Foundation.

Nico continues to collect costumes and Halloween goodies for his goodie bags every year. This year’s 50+ costumes will be delivered to Kaiser Permanente Santa Clara Medical Center in Santa Clara, Calif.

Marlene is searching for treatment to improve his cognitive learning. Resources she’s found are expensive. If you or anyone you know is a specialist in this field, please email us at info@goinspirego.com — superheroes activate!

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Join our movement & Go Inspire Go…

More Stories About Nico Castro:
Boy, 6, with Brain Cancer Brings Halloween to Sick Kids
6-Year-Old Halloween Hero Quadruples Goal, Brings Holiday Spirit to Sick Kids
Cape Crusaders: Empowering and Honoring Young Superheroes

The post Young Superhero Shares Halloween Spirit with Kids in Hospital (Update) appeared first on Go Inspire Go.

If there is only one thing you tell a younger person in your life, it should be “YOU MATTER.” Heck, you should tell that to anyone, at any age, in your life who matters — before it’s too late.

It seems like every week, I hear news via Facebook, the press or through a friend, that yet another young person committed suicide here in the San Francisco Bay Area.

I recently asked a group of millennials to introduce themselves, tell us where they’re from and give us a snapshot of an experience that changed their lives forever. One by one, the kids mustered up the courage to tell us gut-wrenching stories of the heart.

One teen told me how depressed he was because his parents didn’t know his truth and how he finally came out as gay to them. Another teen talked about her battle with booze and another talked about the sudden loss of a parent and how she was nearly out in the streets with no family. Each story touched us all. I was shocked to several of them had tried to commit suicide.

Many of them admitted they didn’t feel that who they are, what they’ve been through and even their very existence mattered. I saw the brilliance and potential power of each of them. I wish they only saw themselves through my lens.

No matter what platform I’m on — as a teacher, mentor, motivational speaker, founder of Go Inspire Go – I spread the message that “you are all gems.” Some of you may be dustier than others. Some of you may have been dragged through the dirt and mud more than others, but everyone deserves to shine. It’s my job and every human being’s job to dust off these gems so they shine.

Likewise, every youngster should only surround themselves with people who make them shine. If only those kids who took their lives knew how much they matter, how bright their light really is – they — and the world would be a better place. One of the biggest life lessons I’ve learned as an adult is, when you let yourself shine, you reflect it onto others and they shimmer and sparkle too. We — YOU — are all dazzling beings. So let the light in!

My mentor — actor, comedian and humanitarian Michael Pritchard, whose life work is healing people through comedy — reminded me that the moon actually casts no light. Rather, it reflects the light from the sun. The unison and the yin and yang of this story gave me chills. What if we were the moon to all the sunshine we encounter in our daily lives? Wouldn’t the world and all its gems be a warmer, shinier, brighter place?

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Join our movement & Go Inspire Go…

The post Spreading the Message There’s a Gem Inside Us All appeared first on Go Inspire Go.

This past Sunday, more than 250 kids and their parents took the Marin area by storm, giving back to their community. Four schools, participants of the Go Inspire Go Community Heroes program, embarked on the second annual Day of Giving, with 12 unique service projects including:

-Cooking an elegant meal and preparing shelter kits for Homeward Bound of Marin
-Gardening at the Canal Community Garden in San Rafael
-Cleaning up with the Downtown Streets Team San Rafael
-Weeding and trash pick-up at Marin Civic Center
-Planting 150 plants and clearing non-native plants at Terra Linda/Sleepy Hollow Open Space Preserve
-Making superhero capes and blankets to benefit patients at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital and Rooms that Rock 4 Chemo
-Multiple bake sales to help pay for expenses

That’s an incredible amount of good to come from one morning! The joy and excitement was palpable before and after the event. People were glowing… and happy! Why? I truly believe there’s a hunger in this community to try and keep grounded amid our picture-perfect scenery and weather, our gadget obsessions and the super-charged environment fueling the latest tech boom. Disparities are widening and the growing masses of homeless are being shuffled around. You see them out and about more — as local parks shut their gates, and as it gets even tougher to find affordable housing with rents and home prices through the roof. All these Community Heroes CHOSE to spend their Sunday getting their hands and hearts busy to help others. Our secret sauce? We make it FUN and aim to INSPIRE with our videos and our ENTHUSIASM, which I’ve been told is rather contagious.

Top heartwarming quotes from kids who took part in the Day of Giving:
-“The people we cleaned the streets with don’t look homeless. They’re just like us.”
-“I can’t wait to see the smiles on the faces of the people we cooked for!”
-“The Day of Giving was the best day of my life.”

Whoa, how’s that for compassion in action. Magic indeed!

The ask….

As Sun Valley School’s program has been going strong, word has got out and we’ve recruited three new local schools to join us this year: Kent Middle School, Dixie Elementary and Mary Silveira Elementary. More are lining up — and at this point, we need your help. Despite what it may seem from all we’ve accomplished, this program is 100% volunteer-run. Aside from a few grants, including a coveted LinkedIn Innovation Grant, we’ve come to the point where to keep this program growing and sustainable, we need to secure funding. This requires support for a full-time coordinator and Go Inspire Go infrastructure to create videos to grow the curriculum, operate our website and help run an organization.

The Community Heroes program has been teaching kids about compassion and action for close to three years, and we’ve been proving that what we’re doing WORKS! We’ve been getting kids and adults EXCITED and ENGAGED and have gone out there and done A LOT — collection drives, fundraisers and service projects to support local charities. The most exciting aspect of our impact is how kids have felt empowered by the program; they understand how they have the power to make a difference. Who knows how these young philanthropists and social activists will exercise their powers throughout their lives?

I believe there’s no greater gift we can give our kids than to grow their sense of compassion and responsibility to help make the world a better place. Don’t you agree?

Three ways you can help:

1. If you think this program is valuable, and can support us with a contribution, please donate here. Funds would help develop a toolkit, expand to new schools, train facilitators and coordinate among partners and the non-profit network.
2. If monetary contributions are a stretch, we could always use more volunteers and connections to those who might be willing to help. Just drop us a line with your ideas!
3. Spread the word about Go Inspire Go’s mission — to inspire people to find their power to help others! Please forward and share this blog. Use #ComHeroes and tag us @goinspirego. You can also email Kala Shah.

Kala Shah is Go Inspire Go’s Chief Innovation Officer and Program Director of Community Heroes, a service-learning program that is now in four Marin County schools.

The post A Day of Giving — And the Magic of Collective Giving appeared first on Go Inspire Go.

It’s a loaded question, but if you are brave and present enough to try and answer this question, the trajectory of your whole life could transform.

Like nature, our lives are filled with wonder. The intelligence, connectedness and energy surrounding every cell in our bodies has a purpose. And while there’s beauty in nature, there is also chaos. That’s OK. Become friends with chaos, as it will lead you to the blossoms and fruit you’re intended to bear.

I believe we are all here on Earth for a reason. We are called to something bigger than we could ever imagine.

It took me a lot of struggle and I’ve had more than my fair share of chaos culminating in my life before finding my passion work, GoInspireGo. I learned that my power is inspiring people to discover their power and sparking them to use it to help others.

One of those people is Kala Shah, whom I met two years ago at a LinkedIn networking event. She, like many parents, felt overwhelmed. With three kids under eight-years-old — two of them, rambunctious twins — who could blame her?

She told me that beyond juggling her daily schedule — shuttling kids around, running the house, being a good friend, family and community member — she was looking for that next step in her career that would allow her to keep life in balance. Deep down inside, she was also searching for ways to teach her kids about gratitude, compassion and service.

Be careful what you wish for! Like a flower needs a bee, we found one another. I told her that I was creating a lesson on compassion for the youth through my nonprofit, Go Inspire Go, and wanted to get my message into schools.

She invited me to speak at her kids’ school, Sun Valley Elementary in San Rafael, Calif., about being a community hero — how everyone has the power to use their talents to help others. Of course, we captured it on video. The seeds of an innovative, creative and inspirational program was born. With a lot of planning, elbow grease and organizing, two years later the Go Inspire Go Community Heroes Club has taken root in her community and blossomed into a model program to engage young kids in community service. All the while having a lot of fun!

Kala vowed to meet with the kids every other week during their lunch hour to give them a platform to organize their thoughts and take action:

1. She shows them a Go Inspire Go video.
2. They talk about this problem (the video presents in their community).
3. They brainstorm ways to be the change.
4. They take action — collecting clothes, toys and household goods and money while partnering with local trusted non-profits.
5. We share their good works on social media.

Words can’t describe the excitement in the kids’ eyes as Kala meets with them. The jubilation in the room as kids brainstorm how they can be of service to others is magical.

My hope is that this video will inspire you to ask yourself two simple, but life altering questions: “What is my power?” and “How can I use it to help others?” The result: JOY. I promise. Dare to click on this video below and own your power.

I know that every one of us has a bee-like mentality. We are searching (and are here) for a purpose. We want to find that purpose, be validated, feel loved and innately, we want to share it. Kala’s light was dim when I met her more than two years ago. As you can see in the Community Heroes videos, her light is powered on a higher voltage now. And while Kala’s, the kids’ and the community’s futures seem bright, they are the ones illuminating it all along.

Thanks to a LinkedIn innovation grant, Kala and I are piloting this youth program (and digital toolkit) at Sun Valley School. We are working on bringing this program to other schools in the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond. Eventually, we’ll expand the program into middle schools and high schools, where the kids will create videos and snap pics of their own to share via social media. Community heroes — coming soon to your neighborhood! It’s easy, it’s fun and it’s impactful. Come join us!

Take Action:

Whether you’re a parent or have a youngster in your life, watch and feel reinvigorated to challenge yourself to be a change agent.

Join our movement. More info: info@goinspirego.com.

The post Igniting the Power within YOU and YOUR Community appeared first on Go Inspire Go.

Did you make any resolutions? If so, how is it going meeting those goals?

I choose not to make resolutions — instead, I make aspirations. Resolutions make me feel that I have not met expectations and that’s a very uninspiring way to start the year.

I like to put a positive spin on goal-making, by setting aspirations. I hope to inspire you to challenge yourself to aspire to new heights. Take you to the next level — YOU 2.0.

I strive to be more organized, which includes Go Inspire Go syndication, to be more deliberate with carving out time with loved ones and to be less serious and have “fun” with every aspect of my life.

Last year, I aspired to crowdfund and crowdsource Go Inspire Go stories. My team and I had an innovative and interactive goal of spotlighting 50 heroes in 50 states. It resulted in an extremely successful campaign, numerous blessings and new friendships. We traveled to New York, Florida, Arizona, Georgia and Southern California to meet heroes through the support of our viewers. Thank you to everyone who made this journey possible.

Please meet one of our “50/50” heroes,  Thomas Ponce from Florida. When I met Thomas in 2013, he was 12-years-old, going on 50-years-old. His wisdom, kindness and empathy for animals wows me. He has a special gift of inspiring people to protect animals through his infectious poise and passion. He’s the voice for creatures who can only meow, woof and (fill in your favorite animal sound here). Through his website, LobbyForAnimals.org, he teaches his global audience how to lobby for animal rights.

I was in awe after meeting this accomplished tween, who has the poise of a seasoned elected official and a heart of gold. You just want to do something, anything, after hearing him speak. Nearly everyone Thomas touches says they were inspired to take action by his message: “Don’t Just Dream of Change, Lobby for It!”

See how he inspired an animal rights lawyer in New York and lawmaker in Florida to help him help animals. Can we give him a high-five helping hand? (Or at least a high-five social media shout-out here?) His goal: to educate people with the power to improve and save the lives of animals.

12-Year-Old Animal Rights Activist

Who: Thomas Ponce
What: Educates and Inspires People to Speak Up for Animals via LobbyForAnimals.org
Where: Casselberry, Florida
Why: Discovered his passion at age 4, after Mother gave him a chicken nugget

The Catalyst

Thomas Ponce, from Casselberry, Fla., discovered his passion for protecting animals at age 4. His inspiration? A chicken nugget. That’s when Thomas, while eating nuggets, asked his mom, Kim, what they were made from and she hesitantly told him, “Chickens.”

Thomas Ponce, from Casselberry, Fla., discovered his passion for protecting animals at age 4. His inspiration? A chicken nugget. That’s when Thomas, while eating nuggets, asked his mom, Kim, what they were made from and she hesitantly told him, “Chickens.”

“I made that two and two connection,” Thomas said. “You know a chicken was killed to make a chicken nugget. I just decided I didn’t want to contribute to that cruelty anymore,” explaining his impetus for animal advocacy.

The Act

Thomas joined animal rights organizations and spent countless hours on the picket line — all in the name of educating about animal protection and inspiring people to do what they can to alleviate animal cruelty.

He took his passion for animal rights to the next level and is now teaching people how to lobby their politicians to protect animals through his website, www.lobbyforanimals.org.

When Thomas attended the National Animal Rights conference in Washington D.C., he met animal rights attorney Jessica Astrof.

“This young man raised his hand and asked us questions like, ‘I need to know how I can get funding for my organization,’ ” Astrof said. “I was shocked to see that he looked like he was only 10 or 11 years old.”

The Ripples

It’s hard not to be persuaded by Thomas’ infectious energy. His parents are now vegan. One former teacher says he no longer goes to the circus.

“I chose to be vegan because I choose to live a compassionate cruelty free life, not just because I don’t want to eat meat. I try my hardest to bring as little harm to any living being as possible and that message is important to me to get out,” Thomas said.

In 2013, Thomas presented research around shark finning to Florida State Senator David Simmons. The senator was inspired to draft a bill that would prohibit the possession, sale, trade, purchase, shipping, barter, exchange and distribution of shark fins. It is being reviewed by several committees.

Pollination Project grantee, 2013, given to “social change agents who seek to spread compassion in their communities and in the world for the benefit of all.” Invited to join the Pollination Project’s grant advisory board

FARM’s Young Animal Activist Award, Animal Rights 2013 National Conference, for “outstanding contribution for animal liberation before his 18th birthday”

Youth Activist of the Year Award, Barry University Law School’s Student Animal Legal Defense Fund, 2013, for “outstanding performance, lasting contribution, leadership and vision in his mission to improve the lives of sentient beings by example, education and lobbyist advocacy”

The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards, Distinguished Finalist, “honoring middle level and high school students for outstanding service to others at the local, state, and national level” Jefferson Award for Public Service, two-time winner, “dedicated to activating and celebrating public service”

The President’s Volunteer Service Award, 2013-2014 (Gold Level in 2014)

Animal Hero Kids Kind To All award winner, 2013, “recognizing an individual under the age of 19, who has helped multiple species of animals – companion animals, farmed animals, or wildlife”

Contributing author to the book, “Animal Hero Kids, Voices of the Voiceless”

Disney Dreamer and Doer award, 2015

Writing an article for AV Magazine, a publication of the American Anti-Vivisection Society

Received letters and certificates of recognition/appreciation from Senator Simmons, Florida State Representative Jason Brodeur as well as an official tribute from Rep. Brodeur

Worked on Amendment 1, the FL Land and Water Initiative, with the League of Women Voters, making calls to constituents

Thomas purchased legislative tracking software enabling him to get alerts on new legislation in real-time and is distributing a biweekly report listing all legislation pertaining to animal rights and the environment for all states. He provides links to the bills, summaries, last action, sponsors, etc. and recently has been in contact with law students to volunteer and help write letters for constituents to use for each bill listed (so people can just copy and paste them right into an email to send to their legislators). Thomas said he needs more volunteers!

Media coverage

Fins and Fluke Radio: “Interview With Activist Thomas Ponce”

One Green Planet: “8 Young Rockstar Activists Leading the Way for Animal Rights”

Awakin.org: “Thomas Ponce: Child Activist, Animal Rights Advocate”

ServiceSpace: “Reflections On The Awakin Call With Thomas Ponce”

The Thinking Vegan: “12 Year-Old Founder of Lobby For Animals: The Mozart of Animal Rights”

Ethical Magazine: “Entre Vista A Thomas Ponce”

Thomas’ hope is that everyone his story touches will do something, anything in the name of animal rights.

Thomas said he is available to help anyone wanting assistance with either their lobbying efforts or living a cruelty-free vegan life. He can be reached by email at ThomasPonce@LobbyForAnimals.org or on Facebook by sending a friend request to his personal page or liking his Lobby For Animals page.

In the words of Thomas Ponce, “Don’t Just Dream of Change, Lobby for It!”

What can YOU do?!

Take Action

1. Learn more and support Lobby For Animals (www.lobbyforanimals.org)

2. Be the change. Find legislative issues affecting animals in your state, county, city or local community. Call and write your lawmakers.

3. Do whatever is in your power to take action against animal cruelty, testing and abuse.

# # #

For more information on our 50/50 campaign, check out our blog: 50 Heroes, 50 States, 1 Inspiring Journey!

Hit share if you care, please share, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube or comment.

Join us & Go Inspire Go…

The post Go Inspire Go 50/50 Hero: 12-Year-Old Animal Rights Activist appeared first on Go Inspire Go.

I feel so fortunate to have the Go Inspire Go Community Heroes club to remind me to be present and keep focused on the important stuff — gratitude for family, friends and taking care of those who need a hand. I started the club at Sun Valley Elementary School in San Rafael, Calif., back in the fall of 2012 along with Toan Lam of Go Inspire Go to provide a platform for kids in my community to foster compassion and act to give back locally. Oh my, what a wonderful ride it’s been ever since!

For our holiday initiative, we teamed up with Adopt a Family of Marin, a great local organization that helps stabilize struggling families in Marin County, Calif., going through difficult circumstances. AAF provides essential safety-net services to these families — short-term financial assistance for housing, food vouchers, counseling. Around the holidays, they match families with those in the community who want to help ease their burden.

The Community Heroes kids were so excited to adopt two families: the Abundants and the Angelics (names changed). Dulce Abundant wears many hats. As a hard-working mom of a 3-year-old daughter, Bella Danielle, she holds down a full-time job AND is a full-time student. Needless to say, the Abundants live on a very tight budget. Dulce is making her way toward a brighter future, waiting for the day she graduates and is able to provide a better life for her daughter.

Abrenna Angelic, mom to energetic twin 2-year old boys (bless her heart, I remember those days!), recently lost her job and is waiting for unemployment benefits to kick in. She had no idea how she was going to pay her rent, much less get winter coats for herself or her sons. Being accepted into AAF’s holiday program has given Abrenna hope that she’ll make it through this rough period in her life and even have a merry Christmas with her boys.

The Community Heroes kids really want to know these families’ stories and understand what they’re experiencing. They care so much! We’ve talked about how these are real people, living in our very own town, and how we can all go through tough times and need a hand. My heart swelled when one of the kids said with conviction, “That could be ME. It could be any of us.” Yes, this forum is working! It’s not about us and them. We’re ALL human beings who need to look out for each other — especially when times are tough.

I shared the Abundants’ and Angelics’ wish lists with the school community and WOW!!! What an overwhelming response! Every time I checked the collection bin, it was filled to the brim with everything from household essentials like detergent, lotion and pots and pans to warm and fuzzy coats, hats and mittens, new clothes for the moms and some great toys for the three little toddlers. Way to open your hearts and your wallets, Sun Valley families! You have shown once again what an amazingly generous and kind-hearted community in which I am blessed to live.

The day of our end-of-semester party, the kids burst into the multi-purpose room, so ready to wrap presents and make cards for these families!. Many didn’t even want to eat lunch (I made them do so, anyway). The Ho-Ho-Ho paper and bows were soon flying — such a happy buzz in the air! Our awesome principal Julie Harris walked in, took a deep breath and summed it up. “WOW, this is amazing!” she said.

More kids than ever before showed up — at least 70 kids gave up their lunchtime to be a part of this happy celebration. We talked again about these families and how lucky we are to be able to help and how we will continue to help others throughout the year. Thanks to the great parents who showed up to pitch in as well as our beloved physical education coach Chad, we had all these presents wrapped and ready to deliver in our Santa minivan!

The Community Heroes club has been going gangbusters for a year and a half now. We’re getting bigger and gaining traction as more kids participate and more parents help out. I’m thrilled and honored to report that we’ve just received a LinkedIn for Good Social Innovation grant to replicate and scale the Community Heroes program! Watch out world, very soon our Community Heroes are gonna be making the world a much better place near YOU!

This stuff is contagious, I tell ya! It’s clear there’s a hunger these young kids have to give back. Just imagine the impact these kids will be making by the time they’re in high school. I’m so proud to be able to shepherd these wonderful students and to grow along with them. I can’t wait for all the great things to come in the new year. Happy Holidays and many blessings to you and yours!

Interested in starting your own Community Heroes club? –Stay tuned for a curriculum and tool kit to get one started in your school! Thanks again, LinkedIn for Social Good!

–Check out these videos for inspiration about the power kids have to start movements in their communities: Matthew Kaplan and the Be O.N.E Anti-Bullying Project and 5-year-old Phoebe Russell’s super-sized canned food drive.

The post Community Heroes Adopt a Family Holiday Initiative appeared first on Go Inspire Go.

This is a bold statement, I know, but hear me out.

Before I was invited to develop curriculum at the Academy of Art’s (AAU) Multimedia Department and the University of San Francisco, I too believed that many young folks were apathetic, entitled and not in touch with reality.

Boy, was I wrong. Or as my students would say, “You got moded.”

Reality Check #1:
A few years ago, I was given the rare opportunity to build and teach a high school summer bridge program at AAU. I thought that my students would be excited to execute the final I had prepared. “You are going to create a short video on ‘hot spots’ in San Francisco. It could be a cool place to hang out, shop or eat.” I instructed in a sure tone of voice. I thought hands down, students would be stoked.

Instead, hands eagerly went up. The questions they asked changed the trajectory of my stereotypes toward the youth.

One student raised her hand and said, “My mom was so excited that you were teaching us because she follows Go Inspire Go (my nonprofit) on social media.” Another student said, “Yeah my friends follow you on Twitter in Sweden. A third student said her friends who live in the Midwest follow our stories. Their collective wish: “Can we do our video on a story for GIG and if it’s good enough, would you post it? My heart skipped a beat. Chills ran from head to my feet.

I was taken aback.

Julian Cohen, a high school junior from Jersey City, N.J., saw an article in his local newspaper about a reverend who wanted to build a high school in Grande Saline, Haiti, following the devastating earthquake in 2010. Cohen was sad that there was no high school in Grande Saline and was inspired to make a video to engage action. This led to two youth movements that eventually sent 32 kids to school for one year in Haiti.

This led me to create a GIG program called GIG Spark, Lesson on Compassion. Students think about a problem and how they could be part of the solution. They create a short 90 second video and send it to us to multiply their message.

Reality Check #2:
I’m exited to announce that Go Inspire Go partnered up with The Bayview Hunters Point YMCA, YouTube, the San Francisco Mayor’s Office of Civic Innovation and National Youth Radio to create GIG Sparks with youth at the Bayview Hunters Point YMCA. They wanted to make videos that inspire compassion, change and a shift in perspective.

If you watch the local media here in the San Francisco Bay Area, you’d think that this area is only known for its crime, violence and destitution. I found that there was so much hope for the youth living in this area of the City.

When I spent an afternoon training six of these young YMCA change makers, I was filled with pride. Kier Wilson, Tajae Hill, and Jonkia Davis were amazingly inspiring. They were so proud to call the Bayview Hunters Point their home, but were deeply saddened their neighborhood is viewed as “the ghetto.” They wanted to do something to change the negative perception of their community.

Thank you to YouTube and the Mayor’s office for inviting us to share our “GIG Spark” as an innovative, organized and fun way to inspire the YMCA kids to accomplish this mission.

* This video was created by four of my students at AAU — youth — who asked to come along on the shoot. Thanks Oscar Nilsson, Marcus Pettersson, Eva Broman and Hugo Albrektsson for your great work!

Reality Check #3:
At the University of San Francisco, my alma mater, I was asked to design and teach a Blogging for Social Change course. On the first day, I asked students, “What is your passion?”

With optimism and determination, one student said, “I want people to get out of their bubble and do something to help the people in their community.”

‘Nuff said! Amen to that.

As a kid, I felt insignificant. I thought I didn’t matter. I didn’t feel like I had a voice. What would a Chinese immigrant boy, growing up in a rough South Sacramento neighborhood, say of any importance? Why would anyone care?

I wonder how many youth feel like that today. What if adults took a moment to listen to the youngsters in their lives and hear them out. With a little guidance, support and inspiration, we too could be a part of inspiring a new generation of people who teach what they learn and give what they get!

Take Action:
* Check out “I LOVE Bayview” on Improve SF!
* Share their stories on social media and by word of mouth.
* Volunteer at your local YMCA

Follow us @GoInspireGo on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter & YouTube

The post Why YOUth Matter — Changing Your Perspective of HOME & Bayview appeared first on Go Inspire Go.

As a mom of three young boys, my hope is to raise good kids who are kind to one another. I struggled to find concrete ways to teach these lessons. Last year I met GIG’s Chief Inspirator, Toan Lam, at a LinkedIn/Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy (AAPIP) event promoting philanthropy and doing good, a perfect setting to cultivate a meaningful new friendship. We immediately hit it off, marveling about how innately good and generous young kids are. How do you harness all that beauty and goodness and unleash it? What could we do to propel kids to make their mark on the world? Toan gave me the energy and spark to make good on my promises to myself and my kids — to live in gratitude and to give back.

Several working lunches later, Toan and I had come up with a theory and an idea we were willing to test. If we provide young kids a space to express their concerns about the community and a little support to inspire them to action, who knows what may transpire? I invited Toan to present GIG’s Lesson on Compassion to 500 students at my son’s elementary school, Sun Valley School in San Rafael, Calif. “What can YOU do?” he asked the kids.

Marin is known for its natural beauty, affluence and sense of community. While all of the above is true, as you saw in the video, there are many folks living in need. Even some students at Sun Valley come from low-income families. This kicked off the launch of Sun Valley’s Community Heroes club, facilitated by yours truly. A few months later, the kids are excitedly helping local causes. Every week, I was surprised to see how many kids showed up during their lunch hour, ready to discover ways to use their power to help in whatever way they could. Many went home collecting Ziploc bags full of change to donate to causes they believe in. Up to 40 kids meet to talk about problems they see in the community and take actions to help out.

Here’s our impact so far:

• I was impressed that the kids identified these very adult issues: helping the hungry, homeless, foster kids, animals and those who can’t afford medicine. Whew, we have a lot of work to do!

• We collected 80 coats to benefit a great local organization called Canal Alliance, which assists low-income, Spanish-speaking immigrants acquire the tools they need to thrive in their newly adopted home.

• Kids have set up lemonade stands and sold their own books in their free time to raise money to help people in need.

We may just end up sowing the seeds of compassion so that by the time these students are in high school and required to perform service hours, they will be service veterans conducting sophisticated and deeply impactful projects within the community. Let’s see how far these ripples flow!

I realized that in giving these kids a forum to brainstorm, problem solve and take action, I too was getting something back. Through GIG Community Heroes, I am finally fulfilling this deep-seated desire and obligation to give back to my kids and the community.

Feeling inspired? Want to start your own GIG Community Heroes Club? Join us on this journey to inspire your community. Let’s expand our platform together.

Take Action

How can you start your own Community Heroes club? Here are some great resources to help you get started:

1) GIG Spark Lesson on Compassion 
2) Get connected to Generation On and Kids Care
3) Our presentation on Inspiring Service GIG’s blog

What can YOU do?

Follow us @GoInspireGo on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter & YouTube

The post Sowing the Seeds of Compassion in YOUR Kids appeared first on Go Inspire Go.

Six-year-old Nico Castro from San Bruno, Calif., isn’t letting his battle with brain cancer affect his spirit of giving this Halloween. After his doctor gave him the green light to go trick-or-treating thanks to a break in his chemotherapy, he was jumping for jack-o’-lanterns, what a treat! But here’s where it gets tricky.

“Even though he’s worse off than some of these other kids in the hospital, he’s worried about them and oh they can’t go trick-or-treating and oh they can’t get candy,” said Nico’s mother, Marlene Castro, in a proud, but somber voice.

This worried little Halloween hero with a big heart asked his parents if they could buy costumes and treats for the kids in the cancer ward. “I was sad they wouldn’t have candy,” Nico explained. Marlene and her husband Raul Castro were moved by his thoughtfulness, however, it would be impossible to buy costumes and goodies for the more than 50 sick kids in the hospital. The family took a big financial hit after Nico’s diagnosis.

Nico knows what it feels like to have to sit on the sidelines during the holidays. Last November, instead of celebrating, he was in the hospital too ill to take part in the festivities. He was diagnosed with medulloblastoma, cancer of the cerebellum. But during this scary time, all he could think about was if he would be healthy enough to celebrate his favorite holiday — Halloween.

So in true superhero fashion, they took action and started a costume drive. “We were so surprised from the support outside of our community. The community really came together and packages of costumes are coming from Pennsylvania, Illinois and Texas,” Raul said. “The costumes, the little trinkets that the kids in the beds are getting… just an instant and it changes their demeanor and whole attitude about being sick.”

Beware: grab a Kleenex before watching this Halloween hero’s story:

It’s amazing to see how the community comes together when they’re given a healthy dose of inspiration. After meeting Nico, I quickly realized his superhero power is inspiring people to expand their minds, be more compassionate and to open their hearts.

After an initial call with Nico’s mother to set up this shoot, I couldn’t help but pitch in. I made some calls to local businesses and told them about Nico’s story. Sparky’s Balloons in San Francisco donated the festive bouquet of balloons and a goodie bag filled with spooky toys and trinkets. My good friend Jessica Chang reached out to Daydreams and Nightmares, a local costume shop in Modesto, Calif., that donated 20 costumes. Green Apple Books in San Francisco donated a $25 gift card after hearing that Nico likes to read. Our Facebook friend, Amanda Rivas from San Jose, Calif., saw our FB shout out, donated 15 costumes and came along to our shoot to surprise Nico. Thanks Rivas family!

Since my nonprofit Go Inspire Go brings you stories of everyday heroes, leverages social media to build community and ultimately inspire action, we had a few tricks up our sleeves — so I reached out to super mom Amy Pankratz, founder of Wonder Capes in Sioux Falls, S.D., and BAM, she quickly crafted a custom Batman cape for Nico and two other capes for his brother, 11, and sister, 8. I told her that Nico likes Batman because the mask covers his bald head. She told me that made her sad, so she made an extra trip to the fabric store and crafted a mask too.

The donations and kind acts continue to pour in. My friends asked if we could go to the hospital on Halloween to hand out goodies to the kids. The community has pitch in to offset some of the medical costs. More than $1,200 has trickled in.

It is hard to sit back and not take action after meeting this inspiring family who embody the real meaning of family, generosity and being present. “If you would have asked me a year ago that my son would be battling brain cancer and I would be going to the hospital daily, I would have never believed it,” Marlene explained. “Ironically, every year we would give donations to St. Jude’s Hospital for sick children.”

It’s easy to see where Nico got his kindness, compassion and giving spirit. When you hear of Nico’s story, you can’t help but reflect on your own life. As a kid, I thought Halloween was about ghosts, goblins, candy and costumes. But as I get older, I realize that at its core, this hallowed holiday is more about giving, not just with candy, but sharing and revering in these little moments with each other.

We grew up on welfare, so buying a cheap $5 costume was expensive to us. I have vivid memories of autumn. I can smell the morning dew on the vibrant leaves that crinkled under my little feet — orange, yellow, brown. My brothers and I were excited for my auntie Hong to get off work and take us costume shopping at the local Thrifty’s and Newberry. I remember playing with the flash lights, Halloween Pez dispensers and toys in the store aisles that I would have to put back because we didn’t have the money to buy them. Still, we were happy because each of us left with a costume.

I never told Auntie Hong how this little gesture and the inexpensive costumes meant the world to us. That’s all we cared about. Experiences and connections and simple acts of generosity are what this holiday is truly about. Ironically, Auntie Hong passed away of breast cancer at age 47. I didn’t realize it at the time, but Auntie Hong’s kind seasonal act had a profound impact on how I see the world today. Her kindness was passed along for many holidays to come. My parents didn’t understand or celebrate Halloween or many other holidays, so I made a concerted effort to make holidays a big deal for my younger cousins and now for my nephew and niece. It’s inspired me to be kinder to others, give what I can, and to be present and live every day with the attitude of gratitude all year round. It’s interesting how the little moments in life come full circle. Now that I have a voice and a platform, I’m using it to multiply the deeds of superheroes like Nico.

Nico has undergone extensive surgery to remove his brain tumor, which was about four-and-a-half inches big. Doctors were able to remove most of the tumor from his cerebellum, but couldn’t take out the rest of it because it was attached to his brain stem. Meanwhile, doctors believe the prognosis is good, but worry about how the treatment will affect Nico’s standard of living in the long run.

This one’s for you Auntie Hong. Nico, my Halloween hero, thank you for your thoughtfulness and allowing me to say thank you to my Auntie by telling your story!

Please don’t sit out this holiday. Take action.

Take Action

Update: Nico has collected 85 NEW costumes & 60 USED costumes!

    1. Be a HALLOWEEN HERO: Donations can be made at:
        C&C Automotive Refinishing
        860 San Mateo Ave.
        San Bruno, CA 94066

    2. Write a letter to a cancer patient to show support.

    3. Hug your child or a loved one. Tell them you love them.

* Follow us @GoInspireGo on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter & YouTube

More Stories About Nico Castro:
6-Year-Old Halloween Hero Quadruples Goal, Brings Holiday Spirit to Sick Kids
Cape Crusaders: Empowering and Honoring Young Superheroes
Young Superhero Shares Halloween Spirit with Kids in Hospital (Update)

The post Boy, 6, with Brain Cancer Brings Halloween to Sick Kids appeared first on Go Inspire Go.