1. What is your school and grade? Also, how long have you been involved with Hands4Hope - Youth Making A Difference?
I am a junior at El Dorado High School. I have been a part of Hands4Hope for a little over a year.
2. Why did you join Hands4Hope - Youth Making A Difference & how did you hear about it?
I joined Hands4Hope - Youth Making A Difference because while growing-up I was raised by a single mom. My mom taught me from a young age that “we can always help people”. I also joined because sometimes my mom couldn’t provide us with everything we needed without help. When we needed help, people in the community helped us which is why I choose to volunteer and give back to my community.
3. How has Hands4Hope helped you in school, with your friends and family, and in life?
Hands4Hope has helped me further help the world. That matters to me because I live by these quotes “ there’s always something you can change for the better” and “Be the one who makes the change.”
4. What has your experience been like since joining?
I have loved all the time I have spent with Hands4Hope. I have enjoyed planning events, the camp, and raising money for the Upper Room Dining Hall.
5. Is there anything else that you would like to add about your experiences with Hands4Hope?
My favorite events have been the School Supply Drive, Empty Bowls, and Green Valley food distribution. The School Supply Drive is one of my favorite Hands4Hope - Youth Making A Difference events because growing-up, whenever it became time for back-to-school, it was hard because we would have to try to choose between either new school clothes or new school supplies. However, the School Supply Drive allowed my family to not have to choose. I know how important these supplies are to the families that receive them which makes it much more important and meaningful to me.
The Empty Bowls fundraiser is another favorite because it’s a wonderful event which benefits the Upper Room. The Upper Room is close to my heart because they helped my family when we needed it. I also enjoy Empty Bowls because I have volunteered at it for four years.
Lastly, I enjoy working at Green Valley Community Church Common Ground which is a food distribution in Placerville. This was one of my first outreach opportunities for which I volunteered. I fell in love with working at food giveaways at House of Prayer in Garden Valley at the church my grandma goes to. I remember my first food giveaway, I was 11 or 12, I was super nervous but everyone was so kind and I got to help so many people that day.
Something I was able to do during COVID was help the El Dorado High School Hands4Hope Club with a fundraiser. The club was at a standstill on how to fundraise to provide water to the Upper Room. I posted on my Facebook page to get the word out and the next thing I knew $420 was raised!
