Teen Founder Takes Hot Car Safety From Backseat to City Hall
Sailee stands in front of a Hays County EMS vehicle on the set of a heatstroke awareness PSA in Kyle, Texas./ Courtesy Sailee Raja
MeetDaily Point of Light Awardhonoree Sailee Raja. Read her story, and nominatean outstanding volunteer or family as a Daily Point of Light.
Since 1998, more than 1,000 children in the United States have died after being left in hot vehicles, with each one of those tragedies being preventable. Sailee Raja first learned about the danger when she was 7 years old, when she moved from California to Texas and noticed how intense the heat could be inside a parked car.
Now 17 and a high school senior in Cedar Park, Texas, Sailee founded Project SafeRide in June 2025 to teach families to check the backseat for children, pets, even groceries. Since then, the youth-led initiative has launched a free reminder app and expanded its outreach to 30 cities across the country.
What inspired you to start Project SafeRide?
I was born and raised in California, and when I moved to Texas at 7, I immediately noticed that the heat was on a completely different level. As I learned more about the dangers of extreme temperatures inside parked vehicles, I was shocked by how quickly a routine moment can turn into a preventable tragedy. What surprised me most is that these deaths are 100% preventable, yet a lot of people believe it’s rare and would never happen to them. That’s the biggest problem.
Sailee talks with Chief Hill of EMS District 9 in Kyle, Texas./ Courtesy Sailee Raja
What inspired me to act was realizing that awareness can make a difference. Something as simple as building the habit of checking the backseat can help protect children, older adults, people with disabilities, and pets. I wanted to turn a simple safety reminder into a larger effort focused on education, advocacy, and prevention.
What does your role as founder involve?
My role mainly includes community outreach, government advocacy, public education, and program development. I work directly with local and state leaders to raise awareness about pediatric vehicular heatstroke and advocate for clear hot car safety policies. I also coordinate awareness efforts with cities, participate in community safety events, create educational campaigns and resources online and offline, and build partnerships with first responders and other community organizations. On top of that, I manage Project SafeRide’s day-to-day operations.
How do you spread the word in your community?
Social media is Project SafeRide’s biggest tool. We have multiple campaigns going, including the Zero Series, the Billboard Series and Look Before You Lock. I also attend community events at elementary schools and around holidays like July 4 and Christmas. When I talk to parents, I hand them a small card with the Project SafeRide name and a QR code so they can learn more about what we’re working toward.
How has Project SafeRide grown since you launched it in June 2025?
At first, it was just social media and getting the app out so people could use it. Around March 2026, it grew into government advocacy. I gave a public comment at my local city hall about hot car awareness, and that led to a proclamation recognizing May 1 as Hot Car Awareness Day. I also worked with the city of Kyle, Texas, on a heatstroke PSA, which led to another proclamation. Since then, I’ve been working with cities across the country, and we’re now in 11 states, doing things like PSAs and public comments that lead to proclamations recognizing Hot Car Awareness Day.
How do you get adults and officials to take a student advocate seriously?
I love this question because I’ve experienced not being listened to by adults. My biggest advice is to know your subject. Being really immersed in it helps you advocate to adults. I’ve done a lot of research on hot car deaths, and that’s how I’m able to speak at city hall. If you’re starting out as a young changemaker, it’s important to know your concept really well.
What’s been the most rewarding part of your work?
Seeing this idea turn into real-world impact, whether that’s working with city leaders, collaborating with first responders, or speaking with families at community events. People have come up to me and said that whenever they see something about hot car deaths, they remember our social media campaigns. Knowing that a simple conversation or reminder could save a life is what means the most to me. I also love seeing young people realize they don’t have to wait until they’re older to create meaningful change.
What are your long-term goals for Project SafeRide?
I want to grow it into a bigger national safety initiative that combines education, advocacy, and technology. I hope to keep expanding community partnerships and working with government leaders on clear vehicle safety policies. I’m already working with the Texas Senate on this, and I’d like to work with even more states. Ultimately, success would mean fewer preventable deaths and a culture where checking the vehicle before walking away is just normal.
Any advice for people who want to start volunteering?
Start with something you really care about, and don’t wait until you feel completely prepared. You don’t need a title, a large organization, or years of experience to help someone. Reaching out to a local organization, attending a community event, or simply offering help is community service. My biggest advice is to start small, stay consistent, and be willing to learn. And just like I mentioned earlier, know your subject really well. Some of the most meaningful opportunities come from taking initiative.
What do you hope people take away from your story?
You don’t have to be a certain age to start volunteering or making positive change in your community. You can start whenever you’re passionate about something and ready. Age shouldn’t be a barrier, and I hope people check the backseat.
GIVING STRESSED FAMILIES ONE LESS THING TO WORRY ABOUT
CARRIE MEGHIE, CO-FOUNDER OF THE JACKSON CHANCE FOUNDATION, SPEAKS AT THE PODIUM AT THE ORGANIZATION’S ANNUAL PING PONG BALL. /COURTESY CARRIE MEGHIE
MeetDaily Point of Light Awardhonoree Carrie Meghie. Read her story, and nominatean outstanding volunteer or family as a Daily Point of Light.
Carrie Meghie always says that her son Jackson was as special as his birthday is unique. Born on November 11, 2011, at 11:11 p.m., Jackson spent his whole life, except for 48 hours, in the neonatal intensive care unit at two different hospitals in Chicago before he passed away just shy of 10 months old.
In the first six weeks her son was in the hospital, Carrie and her husband spent almost $2,000 on parking. Seeing how much of a financial burden that cost can be, they created the Jackson Chance Foundation to help other families have the opportunity to be with their children who are in the NICU as much as possible. The foundation provides families with a 24/7 unlimited in-and-out parking pass so they don’t have to pay for the expensive hospital parking during that challenging period. They can leave to go walk their dog, go to a meeting, and come back at lunch, instead of paying every time they leave the garage.
Carrie’s dedication to the Jackson Chance Foundation has allowed the organization to thrive, and they’re entering a period of tremendous growth. They just hired a new Executive Director, which will allow Carrie to dedicate more volunteer time to expanding the organization’s reach.
While Carrie’s story may be one of intense sadness, it’s also one that provides her with tremendous satisfaction. She sees the opportunity to provide family members with parking as a special way to honor her son and let his memory live on. While losing a child is heartbreaking, Carrie’s volunteer work allows her to celebrate and talk about him, while also impacting other babies like him. Her powerful personal story and determination to turn a painful situation into an opportunity to help others show just how influential volunteer work can be.
What inspired you to get started with this initiative?
My husband and I started the Jackson Chance Foundation in honor of our son, Jackson. We provide parking and transportation for families in the NICU. Parking was our largest out-of-pocket expense when we were in the hospital, and we were truly shocked that it actually was a real obstacle that prevented families from being with their babies when they were in the hospital fighting for their lives. We were very fortunate and blessed to be able to be with him each and every day and had support to help pay for that and be there, and we really believe that contributed to how much happiness and joy he had while we were in the hospital. We wanted to give other families and other babies like Jackson that gift to be able to have a loved one with them 24/7.
CARRIE MEGHIE, CO-FOUNDER OF THE JACKSON CHANCE FOUNDATION, SMILES WITH HER SON JACKSON IN THE HOSPITAL. /COURTESY CARRIE MEGHIE
Tell us about your volunteer role with the Jackson Chance Foundation.
It varies. We have been a very lean organization since inception until about a year ago. We had one employee, and I was very hands-on, leading the organization day-to-day and working with our board. I’m thrilled that we have a new Executive Director starting in October, which will take the day-to-day and the organization to the next level. We’re at a great growth point. I think my role will change at that point to be more board leadership, fundraising, and mission-focused.
What are your long-term plans or goals for the organization?
We recently launched at our fourth hospital in Chicago just last month, which was a great milestone, and we now cover the primary hospitals in Chicago that serve the NICU population. The next step is looking outside Chicago. We’ve done a little bit of work in LA with Cedars-Sinai. We have other top hospitals across the country that have reached out looking for us to support their NICUs. Growth outside of Chicago is the next phase.
What’s been the most rewarding part of your work?
Hearing from families. Every year at our annual event, we have a mission family who is a family very similar to us, and they often say that we knew what they needed before we knew it. We get to hear them talk about how the foundation allowed them to spend way more time and participate while their baby had a medical crisis, and how that really had an impact on the baby and the outcomes. Hearing firsthand from these families is just extremely rewarding.
CARRIE MEGHIE (LEFT) CHATS WITH SOMEONE IN THE HOSPITAL. /COURTESY CARRIE MEGHIE
What have you learned through your experiences as a volunteer?
I am used to running businesses, and I’ve learned a lot about the differences in running a nonprofit, as well as the similarities. I have learned that there are so many genuine, generous, amazing people in the community. We initially just wanted to raise a little bit of money to support families, and the organization really took a life of its own when people started donating. We were raising hundreds of thousands of dollars. Starting a big organization wasn’t the goal. The supporters and the donors dictated the direction it was going. It was amazing to learn and see the generosity of the community.
Why is it important for others to get involved with causes they care about?
We live in a world that’s a community, and what we do impacts each other. Even the smallest thing can have a significant impact on another family. A $10 donation to us can give a family a whole 24 hours with their baby, which can be very meaningful if they’re there at an important and critical time. Even the smallest things can have great impacts on people when they when they need it. It can have way more impact than you might realize.
Any advice for people who want to start volunteering?
Reach out to an organization whose cause you believe in and just do it. Just go for it, and you can always pivot or change if it’s not quite right. If you’re unsure, the best step is to just do it. Don’t hesitate. There’s no right or wrong way, and nothing’s permanent. Just reach out and try something.
What do you want people to learn from your story?
Even though it sounds like a really heartbreaking story because we lost our son, those were an amazing 10 months. We had so much joy, and I’m honored to have been his mom for even a short period. Don’t be afraid to talk about that loss. It shouldn’t be such a taboo thing for people to talk about.
Turning Youth Silence Into Civic Action Across 17 Countries
Yu Hei Ip helps young volunteers find their voice and grow into civic leaders through Voluntas Juvenium.
Meet Daily Point of Light Award honoree Yu Hei Ip. Read his story, andnominate an outstanding volunteer or family as a Daily Point of Light.
When Yu Hei Ip first joined Voluntas Juvenium, he was just looking for places to volunteer. What he found was a community he wanted to help build. Two years later, he serves on the board of the youth-led nonprofit, which connects young people to service opportunities and civic engagement, and supports them in launching their own projects.
Yu Hei has secured partnerships, run logistics for more than 300 events, and raised roughly $50,000 to support 1,700 volunteers across 17 countries. Together, those volunteers have removed more than 15,000 pounds of waste, distributed over 5,000 meals, and provided thousands of hours of tutoring. He also helped launch the organization’s civics branch. One volunteer’s advocacy idea grew into a partnership with a state assembly member and recognition on the state assembly floor. For Yu Hei, the clearest proof of impact is the volunteers themselves: about 130 have earned mayoral, state, or national awards for their service.
He believes problems don’t get solved when everyone assumes someone else will step in, so young people need to start building the future they want now. His advice to anyone hesitant is to take the first step. The sense of fulfillment that follows, he says, will push you to keep going and help you discover your role in the world.
Sumner (middle), community members and volunteers assemble Hope Kits, packing each kit with the supplies needed to respond to a bleeding emergency.
MeetDaily Point of Light AwardhonoreeSumner Silver. Readherstory, and nominatean outstanding volunteer or family as a Daily Point of Light.
Sumner Silver, an 18-year-old college freshman, is studying physics and astrophysics on a pre-med path while serving in Air Force ROTC with a goal of one day working at a space organization. She is friendly, driven, and well-spoken with a long list of accomplishments in and out of the classroom.
One would never guess she has spent the past few years dealing with the aftermath of a tragedy. But in the wake of a mass shooting and a personal loss, Sumner turned her grief into drive, preparing people to save future lives by responding to traumatic bleeding before first responders can make it to a scene. Someone with a gunshot wound or other bleeding emergency can die in minutes, making response time vital.
With Hope Kits, Sumner has organized more than 40 hands-on certification courses that have certified hundreds of people to care for such injuries. Her organization has also strategically distributed 1,000+ Stop the Bleed kits equipped with the supplies necessary to care for wounded people and raised more than $20,000 to support their work.
What inspires you to volunteer?
My synagogue has tons of volunteer initiatives, and my parents were really involved with one called Mitzvah Garden. We would plant produce and donate each week’s harvest to our local food pantry. It was instilled in me from a very young age the importance of getting involved in my community and helping those in need.
police officer from a department that partnered with Hope Kits consults with Sumner about the contents of the kits.
Tell us about your volunteer role with Hope Kits.
I organize all of Hope Kits’ Stop the Bleed certification courses. That means working with fire departments across the Chicagoland area on scheduling and creating outreach materials to bring community members in. We have participants ranging from freshmen in high school to senior citizens.
I also coordinate the assembly and distribution of kits. That involves working with local nonviolence organizations to identify communities that would most benefit from them, as well as working with experts like emergency physicians and firefighters to determine what supplies would be most effective.
Inside each is a CAT-certified (Combat Application Tourniquet) tourniquet with an instruction manual to make it easy for people who haven’t used one before. There’s gauze and bandages to pack a wound, gloves, and a marker to record the time of application on the tourniquet. In one round, we also included bandages specifically for the abdomen. Kits go to schools, places of worship, and businesses. We try to target the most at-risk communities–those with high rates of gun violence.
When I first started Hope Kits, I fundraised by creating Happy Notes greeting cards and selling them at local art fairs and stores. While I still sell Happy Notes, our main source of funds are grants we’ve been awarded from other nonviolence organizations and organizations that support Chicago initiatives.
What inspired you to get started with this initiative?
On July 4, 2022, a mass shooting occurred in my hometown of Highland Park, just north of Chicago. Afterwards, my local fire department began offering Stop the Bleed certification courses, and the firefighters emphasized how critical those first few minutes can be before first responders arrive. Learning about those simple skills really stuck with me. I wanted to give people the knowledge and resources to save a life in an emergency, which became the foundation of Hope Kits.
What’s involved with the certification?
It’s a two-hour course in which you learn how to apply a tourniquet and pack a wound with gauze and bandages on a limb versus in the abdomen. And there are tips and strategies about how to work in that scenario most effectively.
What’s been the most rewarding part of your work?
The most rewarding part has been hosting the Stop the Bleed certification courses in my hometown. Close to 2022, it was very clear how deeply the shooting affected my community. But it was equally clear how eager people were to learn how they could help in an emergency.
After the courses, community members often share their own experiences from that day with me and explain why they wanted to learn these skills. Those conversations remind me about a part of this work that started off as something more than the distribution of kits or hosting courses. In the aftermath of July 4, it was also about giving my community a way to turn something painful and tragic into something constructive.
What have you learned through your experiences as a volunteer?
People often underestimate how much they can do as an individual. Hope Kits is a testament to how, with the right skills and resources, one person can save a life.
Tell us about future partnerships, programs or events that you are excited about.
I’m at school in Florida at the moment, and we’re hosting a Stop the Bleed certification course for community members in the South Florida area in October. We’re trying to expand our presence here.
Any advice for people who want to start volunteering or, more specifically, help with this cause in their own area?
Look at your local fire department’s website. Our fire department just started offering the courses by themselves. You can also take part of the class online and do a skills-only portion in person to complete the certification.
Think about what you enjoy doing, and then figure out how you could use that skill to help. I loved creating art, so I raised money by selling handmade greeting cards at local art shows with Happy Notes, and then donated the proceeds to Hope Kits for supplies. Volunteering doesn’t have to look a certain way; it can be something that’s completely tailored to your interests, skills, and causes of interest.
What do you want people to learn from your story?
You don’t have to have a huge organization or a lot of resources to start making an impact. If you care about a cause, that drive can take you far. If a community cares about a cause, that really makes a difference.
MeetDaily Point of Light AwardhonoreeEleanor Shell. Readherstory, and nominatean outstanding volunteer or family as a Daily Point of Light.
Eleanor Shell, a 49-year-old ordained Presbyterian minister and mother of three, is intimately familiar with having a moment that changes everything. For two years, Eleanor has been recovering from a life-altering traumatic brain injury after being struck by a car. She’s in the midst of what she calls “the long middle,” the period of time after a crisis where things are still difficult without the expectation of improvement in the near future when life has moved on around you. It could be months. Or years. You’re often left overwhelmed and isolated.
This year, despite her own challenges and leaning on her instinct to help others, Eleanor founded the Borrowed Hope Foundation to support other families facing prolonged hardship after a life-changing medical, financial, or personal emergency. She creates experiences to lift their spirits and give them hope, reminding people that their community hasn’t left them behind. And, of course, she provides practical support.
To date, 35 families have been on the receiving end of Summer Fun Baskets and, if all goes as planned, 100 will be part of her Hope for the Holidays effort that will bring together local businesses, volunteers, artists, and donors to build moments of joy and connection.
Today, Eleanor estimates she’s functioning at about 60-70% of what she once was–she needs naps and time in a dark, quiet room–but she remains hopeful she will continue to improve in the years to come.
What inspires you to volunteer?
When you’re part of a community, it’s your responsibility to help make it better. I’ve always been involved; it fuels me. And serving others is a big part of my faith. I love people, and I’ve been lucky to always feel love and know love. I want others to have that.
What inspired you to get started with this initiative?
As a society, we’re pretty good in a crisis. What we’re not great at is later on. A couple from a church I’ve preached in is an exception. They continue to show up in big and small ways. Whether it’s a greeting card saying, “We still see you. You still matter,” or a grocery gift card, they’ve had hope for me when I haven’t had it myself.
Near the second anniversary of my accident, I was hitting a wall in my recovery. I’ve always believed that helping is healing, so a friend suggested we do something for other families in the long middle. We put together Summer Fun Baskets, and when a local with a newsletter wrote a story about us, the community showed up in big ways. What I thought was going to be a little project with friends ended up raising $18,000 in a week.
Nominated families have ranged from a family with two kids whose mom died unexpectedly, to someone coming out of a battle with cancer, processing the consequences. We focus on providing moments of joy and respite, because when you hit a crisis, your world slows or stops, but your children keep growing. There’s only one seventh birthday and only so many Christmases they still believe in Santa. If you’re not able to capitalize on those moments, they’re gone. I want people to have those memories instead of just remembering things that have been taken from them.
We provide everything from a gas card to get to the experience to snacks over Christmas break. We can’t make their problems go away, but we can give them moments to remember who they are.
Tell us about your volunteer role.
I do outreach to educate the community about the long middle and how to support people in it. I identify and connect with families, coordinate volunteers and community partners, fundraise and seek sponsors.
We recently launched our Hope for the Holiday campaign to provide things like a night at the movies or a visit to the Polar Express. We’re also working with summer day camps to make one or two spots available to our families in May, because planning ahead isn’t always practical when you’re in the middle of a crisis.
In February and March, we’re providing respite nights for grown-ups. For couples, that might be a date night. And we’re sending the gentleman whose wife passed away to Top Golf with a friend and providing childcare.
I also organize pop-up community art projects. In May, we’ll auction the art for Mental Health Awareness Month to show the role community and art can play in mental health.
What’s been the most rewarding part of your work?
It’s hearing how these simple things impact people’s ability to take the next step forward. One of the most surprising and meaningful things is when I send someone a gift card for ice cream or dinner with a letter that says, “We had a day that changed everything, and we’re still in the thick of it. We want you to know that someone in your community knows you are, too.” The response is often greater than when we give away bigger things.
Everyone needs love and compassion. We delivered one Summer Fun Basket to a high-income neighborhood, and the woman broke down in tears. Did she need snacks for her kids? Maybe not. But she needed to know she wasn’t forgotten because she isn’t able to participate in life as she had a year ago.
What have you learned through your experiences as a volunteer?
Community matters. And nothing will replace in-person connection and how that makes people feel. It just takes one person being vulnerable for others to do the same. Sharing stories helps people know they’re not alone.
What do you want people to learn from your story?
No matter how hopeless things are, there’s somebody who cares about you. And there’s something you can give. If we all do what we can on any given day, the growth of kindness, joy, and community will be exponential.
Life will never be the same for me, but I’m going to use whatever I have to continue to be what I was called to be.
This Volunteer is Helping Break the Cycle of Period Poverty
Randi (right) receives the Regeneron Volunteer of the Year Award in 2026 for her work with the MoonCatcher Project./ Courtesy Randi Broadwell
MeetDaily Point of Light Awardhonoree Randi Broadwell. Read her story, and nominatean outstanding volunteer or family as a Daily Point of Light.
Around the world, girls without access to period products often have to make do with whatever is on hand whether that be old rags, sponges or leaves. For many, that means staying home from school during their periods, and for some, it means dropping out altogether, closing the door on dreams of becoming a doctor, a teacher, or building any future they’d imagined for themselves. The MoonCatcher Project was founded to break that cycle, providing reusable menstrual kits, paired with health education, to girls in Kenya, Malawi and Uganda, alongside free period pantries across New York’s Capital Region.
Since joining MoonCatcher in 2024, Randi Broadwell has put her public health expertise and passion for volunteering to work for the cause, helping the organization track its impact and expand its reach. Her commitment carried her up through the board, from co-vice president to now co-president. Between governance, managing pantries, and coordinating fundraisers and volunteer events, she now dedicates around 400 hours a year, grounded in the knowledge that a single $7 kit can keep a girl in school for years.
What first inspired you to get involved with The MoonCatcher Project?
I did a public health volunteering fellowship in South Africa after I graduated from college, which inspired me to get my master’s degree in community-based primary health care. After that, I was looking for a place to use what I’d learned. Regeneron, where I work, has a volunteer week called Day for Doing Good, and I signed up for a MoonCatcher event in 2023. I’d already learned about period poverty in my master’s program, so it really resonated with me and it’s an organization local to me, so I felt like I could make an impact both abroad and in my own backyard.
Randi stands in front of a poster that shows what is included in a MoonCatcher Kit./ Courtesy Randi Broadwell
Can you explain what period poverty is and what MoonCatcher’s mission is?
In simple terms, it costs money to safely take care of your period. If you’re already living below the poverty line, that’s another expense on top of everything else. In New York state, the average amount women spend on period products per month is about $15. Girls around the world often drop out of school because they don’t have a way to safely and cleanly handle their periods, and that keeps a cycle going. That’s why we give reusable kits to our global communities. The reusable kits are fitted to size, so girls can use them for five, six years or longer. In the U.S., people tend to prefer disposable products, so we stock free, 24/7 period pantries outside businesses.
What does your role involve day to day?
We’re a smaller organization, so as board leadership, I work with our bookkeeper to make sure the board understands our financials and can make informed decisions about funding. That connects to sending money to our sewing guilds in Kenya, Malawi and Uganda, looking at fundraising logistics, and community outreach and period product drives with local businesses.
Of all your responsibilities, which is your favorite?
I love events and talking to people, but my strength is really the data. Whether I’m pulling spreadsheets from the period pantries for a grant application or an end-of-year report, I love being able to show people the good we’re doing with the numbers we have. That’s my favorite part — showing people the impact and why it matters.
Randi counts disposable menstrual product donations at the birthday party of Ellie Von Wellsheim, founder of the MoonCatcher Project./ Courtesy Randi Broadwell
What kind of impact has MoonCatcher made?
Last quarter alone, we gave out more than 17,000 period products across our pantries in the Capital Region. Since I joined, we’ve added pantries in Troy and will soon open one in Saratoga. Abroad, I hear the stories from our executive directors who’ve seen the kits firsthand. Girls who no longer have to worry about missing school, who are dreaming about becoming doctors, going into hospitality, going into sales. Seeing that impact is what stays with me.
Why are you so passionate about equal access to period products?
It’s something so small that can make the biggest difference. We’re not just handing girls a kit, we’re creating jobs for the women in Kenya who sew them, and we’re pairing every kit with a health curriculum, so girls understand what’s happening with their bodies. A $7 kit is barely the cost of a cup of coffee here, but it can keep a girl in school instead of getting married off or going straight to work because she can’t manage her period. It’s about giving girls the chance to choose what they want to do with their lives.
What are your long-term goals for MoonCatcher?
I’d love for more people to recognize the organization and the issue of period poverty. So many people I talk to are hearing about this for the first time. In the next five years, I want more people to know this problem exists and to know MoonCatcher is the organization helping solve it.
What do you hope people take away from your story?
I hope people look more into period poverty. It’s one of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, and it hasn’t gotten much attention until recently, even though half the population bleeds. I also want people to know it doesn’t take a lot of money or time to change somebody’s life.
In Honor of His Brother, Teen Volunteers for Cancer Families
MeetDaily Point of Light Awardhonoree Joshua Bie. Read his story, and nominatean outstanding volunteer or family as a Daily Point of Light.
Joshua (center) poses with a check for $5,000 to donate to Children’s Hospital Los Angeles for childhood cancer research./ Courtesy Joshua Bie
Joshua Bie was 6 years old when his younger brother, Joey, died of childhood cancer at age 4. Soon after, the family began volunteering at the Los Angeles Ronald McDonald House, which had supported them during Joey’s hospital stays. Joshua spent his time playing with the children there, and they reminded him of his brother, he said. Seeing them smile made him smile too.
Now 16, Joshua has carried that spirit into a decade of service. When he was in seventh grade, he founded the first Go Gold Club to raise awareness of childhood cancer at his school. Now the clubs operate at 10 high schools, and their volunteers have helped provide more than 1,000 free meals to families at Ronald McDonald Houses. On top of that, Joshua and his teammates have raised $15,000 for Children’s Hospital Los Angeles.
What inspired you to get started with the Ronald McDonald House?
I’ve volunteered at the Ronald McDonald House since I was 6. My younger brother, Joey, died of childhood cancer when he was 4, and the House helped our family a lot while we were in the hospital. It’s a home away from home, with free lodging and food for families of patients. I want other families going through this to know they’re not alone.
In seventh grade, I surveyed my classmates about childhood cancer. More than 90% didn’t know the gold ribbon stands for childhood cancer, and many didn’t realize children can get cancer. That showed me there’s a huge awareness gap on campus. That October, I founded the first Go Gold Club to build connections between my school and families affected by childhood cancer.
Joshua (right) and a volunteer pose for a picture inside a pantry filled with food donations./ Courtesy Joshua Bie
Tell us about your Go Gold Clubs and how it has grown.
When I started the club, we volunteered at the House about every three months. Now we go at least once a month. I’ve also helped start Go Gold Clubs at other schools, including one in Tennessee and one in Northern California. I encourage each club to volunteer at least monthly, and we stagger the visits so the House has volunteers every week or every other week. For my Go Gold Club, we partner with a restaurant and they’re very kind to donate meals that we serve those to the families. We also donate pantry items.
We’ve added more fundraising over the years, too. Last year, we sold Go Gold arm sleeves with golden ribbons on them to promote childhood cancer awareness. And annually, we hold a donut sale where all the money raised is donated to the Ronald McDonald House. During the holidays, we write cards for families and patients and put together gift bags with candy and toys. We’re still growing, and we may add a new club at Troy High School this year.
What’s been the most rewarding part of your work?
Seeing the smiles on the children’s faces. One day, we were playing live music at the House, and I was at the piano. A young girl in a wheelchair loved it and wanted to dance, so her mom turned the wheelchair and they danced together. Her joy taught me a powerful lesson about courage. Even in the middle of tremendous challenges, there’s room to laugh, dance, and find joy.
Moments like that are why I keep going. They show me my work makes a difference, even when the kindness is small.
What are your long-term goals for Go Gold Club?
I want to make Go Gold a national youth program, as familiar as Boys & Girls Clubs, with chapters across the country. I’d like the golden ribbon to be as recognizable on high school campuses as the pink ribbon. Ultimately, our vision is to empower a generation of students to support scientific research and the search for a cure, and maybe to lobby for more childhood cancer funding, so no family ever has to lose a child to cancer again.
[Gold Ribbon] Joshua (far right) and fellow volunteers wear Go Gold arm sleeves with golden ribbons on them to promote childhood cancer awareness./ Courtesy Joshua Bie
Tell us about future programs or events you’re excited about.
Go Gold Club will soon receive a House Hero Award from the Ronald McDonald House, which recognizes charities that have supported the House for a long time. I’m excited because it shows our dedication and how our volunteer work has made a difference over time.
Why is it important for others to get involved with causes they care about?
Purpose inspires compassion, builds community, and sustains commitment. When you take action for something bigger than yourself, empathy turns into compassion. It connects you with like-minded peers working toward the same goal, and that shared vision gives you the drive to stay committed for a long time. Getting involved is how we stop waiting for change and start creating it ourselves.
Any advice for people who want to start volunteering?
It’s never too early or too late to start. I began volunteering at 6, but I know people who have made a tremendous impact starting in their junior or senior year. No act of service is too small. If you’re not sure where to begin, start small with a local organization and work your way up to larger and larger kindness.
Meet Daily Point of Light Award honoree Shannon Apgar. Read her story, andnominate an outstanding volunteer or family as a Daily Point of Light.
Shannon Apgar has spent her Thursday evenings over the past year at Covenant House Alaska, where anywhere from five to 15 young people gather each week to cook something they can eat, enjoy, and learn to make on their own. With a background in public health, Shannon designed her cooking class to build the confidence and independent-living skills that help youth experiencing homelessness thrive.
Shannon turns simple, approachable meals like breakfast casserole, fried rice, and taco salad into lessons that the young people can take with them for years to come. She also opens the art room as a safe creative space for drawing, painting, and fiber arts, and meets youth wherever they are, whether that’s a room full of energy or one person who simply wants quiet company.
Across more than 100 hours, Shannon has built meaningful connections with over 50 young people. These relationships, she says, have become the most rewarding part of her work. She’s quick to redirect the credit, describing the resilience and patience of the youth as her own source of inspiration. Shannon believes that when we look around your community and find something that bothers you, you’ll know exactly where to start in your volunteer efforts.
Meet Daily Point of Light Award honoree Noreen Hosny. Read her story, and nominate an outstanding volunteer or family as a Daily Point of Light.
Noreen Hosny’s background in molecular biology and visual arts might not be the most common combination you hear of, but she’s using those skills to change the world. Fascinated by art from a young age, Noreen was always intrigued by how graphic design can influence the way we process and understand information.
Noreen Hosny founded a pro bono educational design initiative focused on improving health literacy by making information easier to understand.
In 2019, she established a pro bono educational design initiative focused on improving health literacy by making health information easier for patients and families to understand. But it was during the COVID-19 pandemic that Noreen really started to make headway. In a period when organizations weren’t able to do the typical fundraising and live events that helped them function, Noreen stepped in to help.
She’s partnered with more than 30 clinics and nonprofits nationwide to create everything from information on hyperbaric oxygen therapy for veterans with traumatic brain injuries to cancer prevention materials for use in New Jersey free clinics. Noreen is now designing donor-facing materials and annual reports for organizations, giving them the power to successfully fundraise and make a bigger impact. Thus far, she’s saved these organizations more than $90,000 in design costs.
Looking forward, Noreen has a ton of projects in the works. She wants to teach others about graphic design, and she’d like to host more workshops where people can learn the skills. She’s already partnered with some local organizations and taught K -12 students how to make infographics. But there’s also one major endeavor in front of her: medical school. While Noreen always knew she had a sense for science and the arts, her ability to combine her skills to make an impact through volunteerism demonstrates an acute awareness of how one’s innate skills can make a difference. There’s no doubt she’ll continue this mission in her medical career, which has been vastly informed by her passion for serving others.
What inspired you to get started with this initiative?
I’ve always loved visual arts, drawing, and painting. I took a digital arts class in high school, thinking it would be something like Disney animation, and it ended up being more about graphic design. I really became fascinated by how graphic design can influence the way we process and understand information. I remembered how they carefully design things like subway signs in the city. It just made me so excited, and I really wanted to apply what I had learned.
I started the pro bono educational design initiative in 2019, shortly after I took that class, and I started working with local organizations in my town. When COVID hit, I found out that a lot of organizations couldn’t do any fundraising or events with educational outreach, so I decided to expand it nationally and support those organizations whose outreach had been disrupted.
What inspires you to volunteer?
My design initiative is focused on improving health literacy, so my goal is to make health information easier to understand. Health literacy is really important to me, and, drawing on my own experiences, I see how making health information accessible can directly shape how people understand their options and make decisions about their care. When information is too technical or confusing, it can actually become a barrier for people to access the care that they need. I really wanted to volunteer to help bridge that gap using my own skills.
Tell us about your volunteer role.
I have my website, and I usually get requests through that. I meet with organizations, and I really get to understand their needs and the community that they’re serving. Then, I start researching the relevant scientific or clinical information that they want to share. Throughout those weeks, I’ll develop a lot of drafts, and I’ll send them a lot of different options, and we go from there and keep refining until they’re happy with it. Typically, they’re used in the initial consultation and patient guides. The patients will understand the benefits and risks of a procedure, and if it’s more like a community organization, then it would be used in their educational sessions. Basically, it’s working with the organization for a very long time to really understand their needs.
What’s been the most rewarding part of your work?
Seeing the materials actually reach the people that they were created for. I spend a lot of time researching, designing, and revising. I think the most rewarding part is when the leader of the clinic or nonprofit calls me, and they tell me a patient is using this resource, they’re really able to understand their options, and we’re moving forward with screening or whatever. I think that’s the most important.
What have you learned through your experiences as a volunteer?
Education and teaching someone is not a one-size-fits-all thing. You really have to understand the community’s needs, what they already know, and what barriers they might be facing. I learned that you really have to get to know the person that you’re teaching or you’re working with. As a person who’s going into medicine, I feel that’s really important, especially with patient education, making sure people understand their options and how to make decisions about their health.
Why is it important for others to get involved with causes they care about?
It gives you a chance to connect with people and learn from their unique perspectives. It really gives you a chance to contribute to something you care about. It’s rewarding to have an impact and make a difference in people’s lives.
Any advice for people who want to start volunteering?
Do a lot of reflection. Reflect on what you’re passionate about, what your values are, and what your unique skills are. Think about how to help your community and what causes you care about, and start locally by seeing which organizations need support and how you can fit in and help with that cause.
What do you want people to learn from your story?
Everybody has their own unique skill set, and there’s always a way to contribute. With my graphic design skills, I’d say I really try to maximize how much I can help, and that’s a good lesson for people. You might not think a skill could help somebody, but if you really become creative and think of how that could make a difference in someone’s life, then that could really be the start of a greater initiative.
Meet Daily Point of Light Award honoree Dhiya Thirumurugan. Read her story, andnominate an outstanding volunteer or family as a Daily Point of Light.
When Dhiya Thirumurugan was younger, periods were something she felt too shy to talk about or even to ask for help with. Noticing that menstrual products weren’t always available at school, she realized the barrier wasn’t only access; it was the stigma that made something completely normal feel like a secret. In 2023, she co-founded Cycles for Change, a youth-led nonprofit working to end period poverty and normalize conversations about menstruation.
Dhiya Thirumurugan turned her own discomfort talking about periods into a nonprofit focused on menstrual equity
Now 17, Dhiya serves as co-founder and CEO, leading student ambassadors, building partnerships, organizing product distributions, and driving the group’s fundraising, education, and advocacy. Cycles for Change has raised more than $10,000, directly supported over 5,000 women and girls, and reached more than 650,000 people through digital education and awareness. Dhiya has also helped put menstrual products into the hands of students across Texas public schools, so no one has to miss class for lack of hygiene essentials.
Volunteering, Dhiya says, taught her that impact starts with listening, and that you don’t have to wait until you’re older to make a difference.
