Kansas City, MO (April 10, 2014) A 15-year-old youth is leading a project to provide survival care kits to homeless people in Arkansas. Kelli, the Youth Council President at Children International – UALR, was awarded a Disney Friends for Change grant to create the kits, which she will be distributing with The Salvation Army of Little Rock as part of Global Youth Service Day on April 11.
As the Youth Council President, Kelli takes an active interest in improving her community. Children International's Youth Councils are democratically elected groups of sponsored youth who are concerned about the state of their communities. The opportunity to serve as a Youth Council member provides young people with valuable life skills and enables them to exercise community volunteerism and leadership.
Kelli wanted to help serve the immediate needs of the homeless in Little Rock and give them a greater sense of self-worth for her Global Youth Service Day project. When explaining to Disney why she was passionate about this issue, Kelli wrote, "Children International is dedicated to helping youth like myself and our families overcome poverty. I know what it means to receive help from others and the difference that it can make. When I am driving around downtown Little Rock with my mom, I always notice homeless people on the corner. I often wonder how I can make a difference and show them that I care."
The Youth Council President at Children International – UALR was awarded a Disney Friends for Change grant to provide survival care kits to homeless people in Arkansas.
Kelli shops for the supplies needed to create the survival care kits.
The survival care kits will include hand sanitizer, wash cloths, soap, toothpaste and toothbrushes, deodorant, disinfectant wipes and snacks to eat. Kelli and her project team will distribute the kits to the homeless while helping serve a free meal from The Salvation Army of Little Rock.
Julie Hall, Director of Children International – UALR, said, "We are so proud of Kelli's project and the initiative she has shown in making a positive difference in her community. She is a great role model for others in the Children International – UALR program."
About Children International
Children International is a top-rated humanitarian organization focused on ending poverty by helping children and youth. We take a holistic approach to our programs and work through local professional staff at each of our 70+ community centers worldwide. Our goal is that each child graduates from our program healthy, educated, employed and empowered to break the cycle of poverty.
