2023 Award Recipient
LilyMessing
Project 100+ Teens Who Care
Project 100+ Teens Who Care
Lily founded 100+ Teens Who Care on the premise that donating $25 to a nonprofit alone might feel insignificant, but when combined with donations from over 100 like-minded teens, substantial change is possible. Lily first convened a meeting of classmates in her city of Tucson, Arizona, to create a giving circle powered by students. When more than 100 students joined that first meeting, she knew she had tapped into something powerful. 100+ Teens Who Care was born and grew into a robust nationwide philanthropic initiative. Members donate $25 at each quarterly meeting and present three causes worthy of support.
The entire group votes and decides where to make one large, collective donation. Between member donations and matching grants, the Tucson chapter raised more than $30,000 in less than two years. Together, the chapters of 100+ Teens Who Care impact many causes such as providing essential supplies to homeless youth, supporting mental health services for children, and funding housing for those transitioning out of the foster care system. Together, the impact of Lily’s service-minded peers is far stronger than if each teen helped individually.
100+ Teens Who Care allows teens to make real, meaningful change in their community by collectively donating to a worthwhile cause along with their peers, thus multiplying their impact. New chapters of 100+ Teens Who Care have empowered teens to create change in other communities, from Tallahassee to Los Angeles. As the organization’s reach expands, so does its impact on individual teens who gain newfound inspiration to create positive change through philanthropy.
