My Nonprofit Reviews

Dreams for Kids is an amazing non-profit that transforms lives on a daily basis. In the 3 years, I have worked with the organization each year I have learned more about myself than I could have imagined. I first came upon Dreams for Kids through a forum post by our former director Abby Krtizler. She was excited to tell me about the dream leaders conference during which I would learn about leadership development and helping people. Well that Friday arrived and I can assure you the dream leaders conference went far beyond anything I was expecting to experience. The endless smiles, laughter and excitement was something to see. This was vastly different than where I am from where teens and smiles and laughter often do not mix. The difference that I noticed between the two groups of people is that with the dream leaders they where empowered to make a difference.

Everywhere I turned there were teens doing something to make a difference in someone’s life. You can take for example Kelly Mak, who started a Dreams for Kids club at Whitney Young or the endless numbers of kids Glenbrook South High School who started an Extreme Recess event at their school. I was so empowered to make a difference that I decided to teach a workshop on leadership development and public speaking to youth from Iraq. The paying it forward motto that keeps kids empowered to make a difference no matter where we are from. It is the knowing that we each have something to give to give to somewhere. As Tom Tuohy says, the motto is simple “it’s kids helping kids.” This motto has kept me involved far beyond my expected time and has even leaded me to starting a Dreams for Kids club here at DePaul University. Dreams for Kids goes far beyond its mission and empowers youth of all walks of life, it is an organization that I am honored to be a part of.

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