Life has been incredibly difficult over the last two years, yet none of those challenges stopped me from doing what I love most — helping those who need it. When the pandemic spread across the country and fear filled our communities, I felt even more determined to keep spreading kindness. I noticed many of my classmates couldn’t get hand sanitizer because stores kept selling out, so with my mom’s help, I ordered 1,500 bottles and donated them to our local school district, the public library, the police department, and the fire department. I also gathered face masks and gloves for our community First Aid Squad, wanting to make sure our helpers had what they needed to stay safe.
I worried about the people living on the streets as well, so I began putting together blessing bags filled with toiletries, food, and water, then personally delivered them. When my birthday arrived in March, instead of asking for presents, I collected dog and cat food to support the local animal shelter during the pandemic. It felt amazing to drop off the donations, along with $150 to help cover vaccinations for the animals.
Helping has been part of my life since I was 8 years old. That passion inspired me to start my nonprofit, From The Bottom Of My Heart, so I could continue reaching more families, people, and animals in need.
Even though we all had to stay home and practice social distancing, I wanted to find new ways to give back. I bought a sewing machine, practiced until I learned, and began making masks. I donated them to neighbors, relatives, and anyone who didn’t have one. As an ambassador for Giving Tuesday, I committed to doing one act of kindness every Tuesday — simple gestures meant to lift spirits and remind others that compassion matters, especially during hard times.
Because of the pandemic, I felt called to do even more. With school going virtual, I realized some students didn’t have laptops at all. I reached out to my principal and donated three laptops so at least three children could complete their assignments. I also purchased over 433 sets of diversity crayons and gave them to a new preschool and a local church, so every child could finally match and color their own skin tone proudly.
When Voss donated several cases of water, I chose to pass them along to first responders, front-line workers, and people experiencing homelessness. For Thanksgiving, I bought and donated more than 20 turkeys to Eva’s Village Shelter, and I shared food and gift cards with families in my community. Several friends and relatives became sick with Covid-19, so my parents and I cooked Thanksgiving dinners and left them on doorsteps to bring comfort and a taste of holiday joy.
At Christmas, I collected toys with our community fire department for children at St. Joseph’s Hospital and supported several struggling families. I also donated gift cards through our public library. As jobs disappeared and many parents couldn’t afford basic baby supplies, I stood outside ShopRite with a sign asking our community to come together. People responded with generosity, and I delivered all the collected toiletries to the library so families could receive them for free.
Before the pandemic, kindness was already part of my everyday life. In 2019, I helped our library make sleeping mats out of plastic bags for people without homes and volunteered there every Friday after school. I created 75 Easter baskets for children in shelters, helped clean our local park, and on Veteran’s Day, purchased 160 flowers to place on the graves of fallen heroes — saluting each one. Before school began, I gathered 319 backpacks filled with supplies for students in nearby towns and shelters.
I also helped Puerto Rico, Florida, and the Bahamas after hurricanes struck, collecting clothing, food, toiletries, and animal supplies. Another Easter, I again made 75 baskets for families in need, and later donated more than 419 backpacks packed with school items for kids across multiple communities. Each project reminded me how powerful kindness can be — not just for those receiving it, but for everyone who witnesses it.
I plan to continue helping in every way possible, especially during times like these, when people — and animals — need extra compassion, hope, and support.
You can follow more of my missions on social media.
