It all started with Alison Spalding’s simple idea of giving Christmas gifts to local teens in foster care. This initiative would eventually blossom into a multi-regional nonprofit organization known as Fostering Kindness. Focused on easing the transition for children entering foster care, Alison put together what she calls Comfort Bags which contain essential items like nightlights, cozy blankets, journals, and toiletries to help provide a sense of security in unfamiliar environments. With the help from her team, Alison has found more ways to help kids in foster care by working directly with group homes putting together gift bags for a range of holidays, birthdays, graduations, and even raising money for group outings.

Whitney Tully has created an innovative approach to help people in need access high-quality gently used clothing at no cost. Inspired by her father's love for fine apparel, she named the organization Walt's Mobile Closet. Whitney sets up pop-up clothing shops at various sites like food pantries, homeless shelters, and churches, identifying and meeting needs wherever they arise. These shops offer a wide range of clothing, shoes, and even accessories. Beyond clothing, Whitney responds to requests from community partners to aid the unhoused, recently incarcerated individuals, and victims of domestic abuse, among others.

At 13 years old, Jeffrey Wall received a black belt in Tang Woo Do and decided he wanted to teach martial arts to seniors in his community. He experienced, first hand, the loneliness his grandmother felt in a nursing home and imagined that seniors in nursing homes felt even more detached and vulnerable to depression. Jeffrey began traveling to nursing homes across his community to teach free martial arts classes for seniors ranging from 70-100 years old, adapting each class to their physical abilities and limitations. Thus, Golden Age Karate was born. Jeffrey’s classes not only encourage physical activity, but also serve as a huge confidence booster for the seniors that attend.