Laurie Stokes
West Columbia, SC

Home Runs For Hope was founded by our 11 year old son. He was diagnosed in 2006 with a very rare illness, Langerhan's Cell Histiocytosis. (see www.histio.org). 2 years ago he came to us and said he wanted to do something to help the hospital that helps him. He wanted to donate $.50 for every home run hit by the USC Gamecocks to Palmetto Health Children's Hospital. Mom and dad each matched his pledge.

This year, he had to start chemotherapy when the lesions returned in his spine. We now have 5 or more people all pledging money based on home runs. This year he is also adding $5.00 for every Grand Slam! On June 25 of 2009 we will again donate all proceeds to the hospital. We will continue the project again each year.

Amanda Lianne Maness
Bear Creek, NC

In November of 2008, I had a car accident that deprived me of my vision in my right eye. Although still blind in my right eye, I was motivated to help others that are also visually impaired.

As a part of my senior project for my high school, I coordinated a volleyball camp for girls grades 2-9. All of the proceeds raised were donated to a program called Maze Day. This program brings visually impaired children from all across North Carolina and allows them to play computer games specially designed to suit their needs. The camp was very successful. Nearly 820 dollars was donated to my cause.

The picture attached is of me welcoming the campers and telling about my accident and also who the proceeds were benefitting. Thanks!

Melina Anne Higgins
Stratham, NH

I founded Spread the Dough in NH in '05. We are a group youth who pick up day old bread from bakeries and deliver it to the surrounding homeless shelters. Since '05 we have saved 30,000+ baked goods ($180,000 worth) and opened chapters in CT, VA, NH, MA, VT, and soon to be PA and GA. Now, the residents of the homeless shelters at one of the NH chapters pick up the bread on their own. While feeding the hungry we simultaneously eliminate waste from business. By 2013 we hope to save 300,000 loaves and have one chapter in every state across the country. We need to hire staff, buy $1000s worth of electronics, promotional materials, and t shirts. We need national exposure and financial support from our community to Spread the Dough across the US.

Lisa Muran
Crystal Beach, FL

I am conducting food drives in order to help BASE Camp, which puts together boxes of food to give to families that have kids with cancer. I like this organization because it considers the entire family, not just the child. The food boxes are put together by two volunteers, not paid employees. I wanted to help these children who can't afford to pay for their chemo, let alone get food on the table. I stood outside in the rain and wind asking for donations from people walking into a Publix with my fellow classmates. We are working on raising enough money/food donations to feed 25-50 families for a week. I hope these families get another chance and my heart really goes out to them.

Gabrielle Alexandria VanSpeybroeck
East Moline, IL

Families with disabled children in the Quad Cities have always found it difficult to find swim lessons that were suitable for their children. With the Flying Fish Swim School, I have been able to interact one-on-one with these children through swim lessons. Children with Down's syndrome, autism, cerebral palsy, and developmental disorders have been instructed in an environment where learning is easier. Because of their extreme progress, many of the children will one day be able to enroll in regular swim classes with others their age. Participants have gained in the trust of someone other than their parents in the water. This program is fulfilling an important need in my community which will continue well into the future.

Craig & Kay Broeder
Naperville, IL

Craig Broeder, founder of Bicycling for Ovarian Cancer Org, is currently riding his bicycle 9000 miles in 100 days through the states outlining the perimeter of the United States. Purpose is to get 1 million people to donate $1 each for Nutrition & Exercise Ovarian Cancer Research. His inspiration is his wife Kay who is a 20 year ovarian cancer survivor. His trip began May 15, 2009 in Austin TX where she was diagnosed and treated, traveled W to Calif, N to Seattle, and now E to Maine, then S to Florida and back W to Austin to arrive Aug 25 on their 25th wedding anniversary. Now more than 5000 mi, they could really use the gas for the support vehicle that Kay travels in to support his efforts. www.ov-can.com www.twitter.com/jazzercb

Kelli Freeman
Delray Beach, FL

They say charity begins at home and it certainly did for us! We trained our dog to be a Therapy Dog so that he could visit hospitals and nursing homes. CoCo is our personal pet, but he helps others by visiting five facilities and over 200 clients each week. CoCo visits two rehabilitation centers, one nursing home, one Alzheimer's Day Care Center and a hospital. He loves visiting with patients and residents and bringing smiles to their faces. CoCo helps by lifting spirits, giving kisses, even encouraging rehab patients to put forth that extra effort! He also consoles the family members of those in the hospital and gives the staff a little lift each visit too! It's amazing to see what this 11.5 pound Shih Poo can do for others.

Amber M. Smith
Durham, NC

When I first started volunteering as a teenager, I saw first hand how much charitable organizations needed volunteers to operate and grow. I also learned that many people wanted to help out and volunteer, but didn't know how to get started or faced other roadblocks to getting involved. So, I co-founded an organization, ME³, to help individuals get started volunteering in their communities. Today, ME³ works to connect over 250 local volunteers to over 50 charitable organizations in our community. We are also working with local schools to implement our curriculum, which teaches students about volunteerism, leadership, and social issues, so that every student can have access to learning about being a volunteer citizen and community leader.

Jennifer Molski
Chicago, IL

Leave it for Love is a unique, innovative gift recycling program in which unwanted gifts are collected and distributed among low income, isolated senior citizens in the Chicago area. I founded the program as an opportunity for those with many blessings to share their good fortune with others. I believe we were given two hands, one to help ourselves and the second to help others. LIFL involves little time, is easy on the pocketbook, good for the environment and great for the human spirit. To-date we have collected over 1,000 gifts including pajamas, tea sets, cologne, neckties, and ornaments. Someone's unused mittens might help an older person keep warm during cold winters. Future dreams include additional advertising and drop off points.

Bonnie Marriam
Clayton, NC

When my son Nick was diagnosed with cancer at age 6 our life was turned upside down. He was hospitalized for 2 years and missed grades of school while our family focused on helping him fight this cancer. We had no idea that children lived for years away from home and family so after Nick's battle we started a foundation to help bring smiles to these children and hope to the families still struggling. The foundation came from an idea Nick and his cousin Shelby had to visit these kids and bring gifts, comfort items and sometimes meals for the parents- just to let them know that others care. The Nickelby Project grew from serving one hospital and to date has delivered thousands of bags to children in over 28 states. www.nickelbyproject.org

Chrissy M. Aull Head of School
Wye Mills, MD

It began with a personal need - in 2002, my 8th grade son, who has ADHD and dyslexia, needed the right high school. He, and many kids in our rural community, needed a school with small classes, well-trained teachers and creative instruction. With another motivated Mom, I co-founded the Wye River Upper School, a high school for bright students with learning differences, like ADD, Asperger's and dyslexia. We raised just enough money to open in 2002. By 2007, we'd grown large enough to need a school bus and a van. Because we want to be a school for kids who need us, not just those who can afford us, we constantly raise funds for tuition assistance for families with need. I hope you will help us fill the tank, so we can fill the class!

Holly Hirshberg
San Antonio, TX

I started The Dinner Garden to give free fruit and veggie seeds to anyone in the USA who wants to start a garden. We have given seeds to 12,000 gardeners in 39 states, in 9 months! We are teaching people that the solution to hunger is in their back yard. Our gardeners now have greater food security and less dependence on public assistance! In the future, we hope to have gardeners in all 50 states. We hope to eliminate hunger and help Americans have better nutrition by teaching people to grow their own food.

Richard "Pete" Peterson
Dawsonville, GA

Every summer we fuel up the bus, load it up with 32 children and head to a magical place called Camp Horizon. My journey of service started back in 1982 when members of my church identified a need to provide services for children of abuse and neglect. Our first step in the fight to break the cycle of violence was to host a campout in the backyard with eight kids and borrowed tents and sleeping bags. Back then our mission was to provide a brief refuge from the storm of abuse, a carefree adventure with a camp fire, songs, and roasted marshmallows. We've grown into a non-profit 501(c)3 organization with comprehensive programs. Carefully designed activities help the campers realize they are children of promise with endless possibilities.

Steve Kubick
New Orleans, LA

After 10 years of racking up Motion Picture Pension hours at the movie studios, I decided after Hurricane Katrina to move to New Orleans and use my expertise in contracts and finance to help with the disaster recovery efforts.

I started as an Outreach Worker and was quickly promoted to Fiscal Manager at Catholic Charities. I joined an improv group called NOLA Playback Theatre and we replayed people's Katrina stories onstage. Then I got interested in the educational aspect of the recovery, so now I work at the St. Bernard Parish Parish School Board. Its schools were wiped out by Katrina - 25 feet of floodwater in some areas. I am their FEMA Accountant. I enjoy watching the progress as I commute through the Lower Ninth Ward every day.

K.I.X. Neighborhood Outreach Youth Center
Miami, FL

Our daily tutoring and weekly events are designed to reach at-risk youth in the Homestead area. We meet with elementary through high school students at our neighborhood community center. Each day is designed to teach young people to grow in their knowledge, faith and help them to make positive decisions. Our aim is to build character as we offer structure and support to each young life. At KIX, we give students the opportunity to receive guidance from caring adult volunteers who will inspire them to achieve. We empower students to make good decisions so that they can be healthy members of the community. Fueling Good would help us immensely because we pick-up and take students back to their homes on a daily basis. Thank you!

Inspiration Corporation
Chicago, IL

Inspiration Corporation was founded in 1989 by Lisa Nigro, a Chicago police officer who saw value in treating people with dignity and respect while helping them overcome homelessness and poverty. Starting with a bagels and coffee out of a red wagon, her vision has grown to include restaurant-style meals, case management, job training and housing. Innovations, such as our social enterprise restaurant and job training program Cafe Too, have allowed us over the last 20 years to continue to meet rising need. This year, we served 35,575 meals and graduated 335 participants from employment training. A new restaurant, scheduled for early 2011, will allow us to expand our Meals program and food service training program to Chicago's west side.

Project MEND
San Antonio, TX

Project MEND (Medical Equipment Network for those w/ Disabilities) provides refurbished, donated medical equipment (such as electric hospital beds; wheelchairs; walkers; bedside commodes; scooters; etc.) to low-income persons with disabilities that are not able to obtain these items on their own. Many of our clients must have their medical equipment delivered to their homes because they don't have a way to pick up their medical equipment items or are home-bound due to their disability. Project MEND has also felt the impact of our difficult economy and is struggling to ensure it can keep it's doors open for our clients. Since no one else in Texas provides the service we provide, it is critical for us to ensure that we can be around for people with disabilities for as long as possible.

Kristi Jacques Falk
Myrtle Beach, SC

The Wellness Council for SC began in 2003 with a mission to promote natural health and wellness. In 2006, we became an official 501c3 organization in order to reach more people and make great changes in our community. Since that time, we have reached thousands of people with our Wellness Expo, Earth Day Music Fest, and our own SC Fitness Challenge. We have brought healthier foods to the local homeless population with food drives and organized Habitat for Humanity projects. Our main goal for the upcoming year is to bring more physical education and improved nutrition back into the SC School system. We realize this is a big goal, but with the right commitment and the right people working with us, we know we can accomplish it.

SAGE Eldercare Inc.
Summit, NJ

SAGE Eldercare supports the full needs of seniors who wish to live independently in their own homes, and in the process of doing so we have uncovered many complex challenges over the years. Many older adults who find it difficult to leave their homes also cannot do mandatory repairs that ensure their safety from falls, protect them from intrusion and save on the costs of energy and expensive technicians. Our Small Home Repair "handymen" meet these needs and look for ways to improve their environments with modifications like grab bars, hand-held shower heads, ramps and railings. Home Repairs also acts as a friendly check-in to those who are isolated, and a link to further support when needed.

Rachel Kelley
Chicago, IL

Two years ago I was a food scientist with spare time, and decided to make a change. Now, I volunteer with 3 non-profit organizations, plus twice a week with inpatients at Children's Memorial Hospital. I grant wishes to children with life-threatening illnesses for the Make-A-Wish Foundation and mentor new wish granters to do the same, in addition to volunteering at various events. I am in charge of fundraising and partake in street outreach for StandUp For Kids, aimed to improve the lives of homeless and at-risk youth. Lastly, once a week I assist Bear Necessities, a pediatric cancer foundation providing small miracles to kids with cancer and awarding grants to cancer research. I've never worked harder or been happier in my life.

Lori Stevens
Rockwall, TX

Starting out wanting to work with dogs, and have found myself helping people of all walks of life.

I started training dogs from shelters for service work for veterans and finding out there was such a great need for service dogs. Feb. 2006 started a non-profit organization call Patriot PAWS and wow we are now working with veterans all over the USA, but in order to do this we had to find a way to train more dogs, then we partnered with TDCJ to have woman offenders to help us in this training. This has been such a win win for everyone.

One of the dogs we have trained just won "Dog Of the Year 2009" from the ASPCA.

Debra Smith-Andersen
Milwaukee, WI

MargaretAnn's Place - Wisconsin's Center of Hope for Grieving Children - was founded in 1998 (first center in Wisconsin) after the sudden death of my 20 month old daughter, MargaretAnn. She left behind her big brother, Jared, who knew nothing of life except he was a big brother. We as parents, found their was support available to us, but nothing for children. We provide FREE support services to children (and their families) who have experienced the death of a parent or sibling or other significant person additionally free services to teachers and schools. The future requires us to establish relationships with donors to provide sustainable funding for the years to come allowing us to serve the many grieving children in Wisconsin.

Brandon Barganski
Dallas, TX

Every day thousands of Dallas school kids go home to empty cupboards and inadequate meals. Schools provide a subsidized breakfast and lunch but dinner is left to financially burdened families. In 2007, Hunger Busters started the "Feed the Need - After School Program," and began delivering meals to James Bowie Elementary. We have since expanded to 7 schools feeding more than 2,000 kids each week. With our 10th anniversary approaching in 2010, the program has 4 additional public elementary schools in its sights. On top of an annual golf tournament, Hunger Busters plans to add a 5k run with Luke's Locker to the fundraising efforts. Make sure to look for us as we use our truck to Fuel Good and Bust Hunger all over the Metroplex.