In the New York Times last week, op-ed columnist Nicholas Kristof featured several inspirational young people who he dubbed "Piggy-Bank Philanthropists." These are kids that are giving big to causes that mean something to them.
Here are a few of the young philanthropists Kristof featured:
Rachel Rosenfeld - a high school junior in Harrison, N.Y., solicited enough contributions to build an elementary school in rural Cambodia. She had contracted a painful intestinal ailment that forced her to miss an entire year of school, so she resolved that if she couldn't go to school herself, she could at least help other kids who wanted to.
Ana Slavin and Nick Anderson, two high school students in Massachusetts,, started a nationwide high school campaign, that has raised $420,000 for the people of Darfur from 440 schools.
Allyson Brown, a 16-year-old in Melbourne, Florida, organized a Valentine's dance at her high school, with the proceeds going to fight malaria in Africa. The campaign that grew out of this dance has attracted more than 100 schools in 31 states to raise money to buy mosquito bed nets that protect families from malaria.
“A dog doesn’t care if you’re rich or poor, big or small, young or old. He doesn’t care if you’re not smart, not popular, not a good joke-teller, not the best athlete, nor the best-looking person. To your dog, you are the greatest, the smartest, the nicest human being who was ever born. You are his friend and protector.”
-Louis Sabin, All About Dogs