Six Kids Who Made the World a Better Place

It’s often said that today’s kids are selfish and materialistic. They don’t appreciate what they have. They obsess over the latest fashions, video games, and gadgets. They know more about the life of Lindsay Lohan than Abraham Lincoln. And so on.

We don’t believe it. In fact, today’s young people may be one of the most generous and compassionate groups in history, if these youth activists are any indication of their generation. Here are six amazing young people who’ve already dedicated their lives to making a positive impact on the world.

17-year-old Spencer Brodsky has long been fascinated with the wider world: for several years, he’s hosted online interviews with influential figures including Hillary Clinton, Madeleine Albright, and Timothy Wirth, president of the United Nations Foundation, and has become passionate about many global issues. Recently, after learning about the crisis in Darfur, the Maryland teen decided to do what he could to help the refugee women there, who are often attacked or killed when they leave their camps in search of firewood to cook with. He realized that more fuel-efficient stoves could help the women stay safer, cutting down their time away from the camps by 75 percent. Raise money for this idea and other ideas.

Now, Brodsky is raising money to purchase as many of the $30 stoves as possible for the women of Darfur through his website, speeches, and DVD sales. He’s already raised enough to purchase 400 stoves—to contribute to his effort, visit his site to make a donation or donate directly to his nonprofit partner, CHF International.

At age 11, Brenden Foster of Bothell, Washington was given the news that he was only weeks from death. He suffered from leukemia, which had crippled him so greatly that he hadn’t left his bed in months. But Brenden refused to feel sorry for himself—instead, he made one surprising final wish: to provide food to the homeless in his community. Friends of the family made hundreds of sandwiches on Brenden’s orders, and delivered them to a local park where many homeless people congregated. Though Brenden passed away days later, his dying wish has served as a rallying cry for people who’ve heard his story, who have since donated thousands of meals in his honor. To help honor Brenden’s legacy, you can make a contribution to a hunger-focused organization, such as Feeding America (formerly known as America's Second Harvest).


When Hannah Taylor was only five, she spotted a man eating food out of a garbage can on the streets of Winnipeg, and asked her mother why he would do a thing like that. As her mother explained the difficulties of life for those without homes, Hannah became determined to help.

So, for the last five years, she has travelled through Canada as a young advocate for the homeless, encouraging people to provide support to the homeless through the nonprofit group she founded, the Ladybug Foundation , which raises awareness of homelessness and raises funds which are then distributed to homeless shelters and other organizations that provide immediate help to the homeless in Canada. Hannah, now 11, has helped to raise more than $1 million to help ensure that the men and women in her community will never again eat out of garbage bins. To learn about more US-based nonprofits that help the homeless, check out our Giving Guide.


8-year-old Jack Witherspoon spent 55 days in the hospital in 2007, enduring countless chemotherapy treatments for his leukemia. He didn’t have much to do there besides watch TV, and he soon became a big fan of cooking shows. When he returned home to his family, they took him out to gourmet restaurants, and he became determined to become a chef.

His moment in the spotlight came a little earlier than expected: In December 2007, Jack was given the opportunity to create a menu and help cook dinner for 300 people at a fundraiser held at one of his favorite restaurants in Los Angeles. The charity dinner raised thousands for the Jonathan Jaques Children’s Cancer Center, where Jack received his treatment. Jack didn’t have the chance to sauté over a hot stove or try out the more advanced chef moves—but there’s no doubt he’ll be head chef somewhere one day. To help children like Jack, consider making a contribution to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.


In 2004, 12- and 13-year-old siblings, Robbie and Brittany Bergquist saw a story on their local news channel about a soldier stationed in Iraq who’d racked up a several-thousand dollar phone bill from calling his family at home in Norwell, Masachussetts. They were shocked to discover that this was a common trend among members of the military, who were homesick but had no cheap and easy way to connect with their loved ones.

So, the two enterprising teens came up with a solution: they would create a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing free phone cards to soldiers stationed overseas, Cell Phones for Soldiers. A donation of a used cell phone can pay for an hour of talk time for a solider, and the group also takes many financial donations through partnerships with Amazon and other companies.  Since the two teens founded the group with $21 of their own money, they’ve raised more than $2 million in funds to help the soldiers make calls home without worrying about the cost. To help soldiers score some talk time with their families, learn more about Cell Phones for Soldiers and make a donation.