Empowering Teens Through Service

Posted on by empoweredflowergirl

April is National Volunteer Month and people of all ages can become catalysts for change and make an impact that lasts a lifetime. Young people, especially, can benefit from volunteering and engaging in community service. 

Giving Back Makes an Impact for Youth 

Volunteering is a great way to get teens and young adults involved and make a difference. There are many benefits of volunteering, including developing new skills, building self-confidence, and making new friends.

“Volunteering can be a great way to explore interests and find out more about the causes you care about,” said Rasheda Kamaria Williams, founder and chief empowering officer for Empowered Flower Girl. “You can learn more about yourself and the world around you, while also helping others.”

From local schools, libraries, hospitals, and other nonprofit organizations – there are  many different types of volunteering opportunities available for young people right in their communities.

“You can also get involved with national or international organizations that work on issues that you’re passionate about,” Rasheda added. 

How to Get Involved 

There are many ways for young people to get involved in volunteering opportunities. Here are a few ideas:

1. Check with your local community center, library, or recreation center. Many of these organizations offer volunteer opportunities for teens.

2. Contact your city or county government offices. Many cities and counties have programs that allow young people to volunteer in their community.

3. Look for volunteer opportunities at local schools or after-school programs. Many schools offer opportunities for students to help out in their community.

4. Ask family and friends if they know of any volunteering opportunities in your area. They may know of something that you didn’t know about!

5. Use the internet to search for volunteer opportunities in your area. There are many websites that list different types of volunteering opportunities.

By combining volunteer work with school-based activities, students can gain invaluable life experience while challenging themselves to do more good in their local communities. Not only does volunteering provide guidance for teens as they develop key skills such as communication and leadership – it also conveys an important message about helping others that will stay with them for life.

Empowered Flower Girl is a social enterprise on a mission to help transform the way young people relate to one another and themselves. Our ultimate goal is to help them live above life’s drama to make a powerful difference in the world. Each month, Empowered Flower Girl showcases young people giving back to their communities and the world through our She’s EmPOWERed program. We also host the Be the Impact Summit aimed at helping young people be strategic about community service. Learn more at www.empoweredflowergirl.com. 

She’s Empowered: Young author offers support to siblings with “I’m a Big Sister Now, Lucky Me” book

Posted on by empoweredflowergirl

It’s common for children to experience different emotions – from jealousy and nervousness to excitement – when a new baby arrives. For 12-year-old Aubrey Holly, a big sister to three siblings, her experience was all of the above.

“Though some days are challenging, I love being a big sister and I love my sisters,” said the author and self-professed big sister expert. “They are my friends. As a big sister, the responsibility to be a good example, be the bigger person (all the time), and share literally almost everything can be overwhelming and sometimes feel like too much to deal with. That’s why I decided to share my story.”

When she was seven, Aubrey told her mother she wanted to start a business. At the time, Aubrey’s little sister was four years old. She knew she wanted to write and decided that becoming an author would be a way to make a difference. 

“Becoming a big sister was one of the biggest changes that she experienced in her life at the time,” said Aubrey’s mom, Queala Holly. She said I’m going to write on Tuesdays and she did – every Tuesday for a month.”

Aubrey turned those words into the book “I’m a Big Sister Now, Lucky Me,” available at www.aubreykam.com.

“She would write her thoughts down and I would review,” mom said. “She has three younger sisters now. And thinking about the impact big sisters have on the younger siblings, we’re working on developing a community for big sisters.” 

In addition to the big sister book, Aubrey has published the “Be Yourself___You’re Amazing Notebook” and the “Goal Writing and Productivity Planner.”

When Aubrey grows up, she would like to be an orthodontist. 

We know Aubrey will be successful in whatever she puts her mind to. She’s emPOWERed!

Connect with Aubrey:
Instagram
Facebook

She’s EmPOWERed: Calgary student’s gesture to help friends grows into nonprofit providing essential support to the community

Posted on by empoweredflowergirl

When times get hard, people often find themselves in need of help. Sometimes, that help comes from strangers but other times it comes from supportive friends.

Meet Deep Braich – a friend on a mission to help those in need.

Deep, a 20-year-old university student from Calgary, Alberta, is the founder of Youth Helping Youth YYC. She started the organization at the height of the pandemic to provide much needed hygiene supplies to young people in her community.

“When the Covid lockdown was first announced, my classmates and I were doing our best to stay in touch with one another through social media because we all felt the drastic toll it had on our relationships with one another,” she said. “We shared with one another the problems we were having with families losing jobs, having an increase in financial difficulty because the university was going to start in the fall, and my female friends being unable to access feminine hygiene products because of financial difficulty, the inability to leave the home, and many more concerns.”

After hearing about the issues her friends and other associates were facing, Deep wanted to do her best to help. She started looking for any extra hygiene products like shampoos, pads, and tampons that she had at home and started packaging them up into brown paper lunch bags to keep them discrete.

“I would leave the package outside my front door and my friends would come to pick it up to take home,” she added. “The number of friends I was helping started to increase when those I had helped started telling their friends that this was something I was doing. Slowly people from all over Calgary – teenage and adult women – reached out because they were in need.”

Deep was initially funding the project with her own savings and the money she earned from babysitting and a summer job. But she needed more resources to meet the need in her community.

After receiving some local and even international media coverage about the project and the selfless work she was doing, Deep started receiving messages from people asking how they could donate. “Suddenly the project I had started to create a difference amongst my friends became a project to create a difference amongst my city,” she said. “ When organizations like the Women’s Shelter began to reach out to access feminine hygiene kits, I became more aware of the structure of our society and the people at the bottom of the economic triangle who are in need of hygiene products year-round, even more now because of Covid.”

Youth Helping Youth YYC was founded as a result.

What started as a thoughtful gesture to help friends has become an official nonprofit operating under Youth Helping Youth Alberta, an umbrella organization for Youth Helping Youth YYC.

“We started local with the YYC title and we wanted to provide support to more youth communities, therefore we registered ourselves as Youth Helping Youth Alberta Foundation to provide opportunities to establish smaller umbrella organizations in other cities,” Deep said.

To date, the organization has provided over 2,075 feminine hygiene kits to women in Calgary and parts of Alberta. The organization works with local emergency shelters as well as housing and youth organizations. It also offers mental health, anti-bullying and anti-racism workshops.

Youth Helping Youth is youth-run in all facets – from projects, ideas and planning to communications, social media and networking.

“We work together to build solutions to youth social issues and advocate for our fellow youth,” Deep noted. “We find that youth issues are often put aside and we want to bring the spotlight back on this community for politicians to recognize the support and resources our youth need.”

Deep is a true advocate with big aspirations. After completing her undergraduate studies, she plans to go to law school and become a lawyer while also continuing her work in the community.

Connect with Youth Helping Youth YYC:

Instagram

Facebook

Email: calgaryyouthhelp@gmail.com

Funding for Your Impact Ideas and Initiatives in 2023

Posted on by empoweredflowergirl

Do you have ideas or established initiatives with potential to make a powerful, positive impact? Could you use a little help to make it happen? There are resources to help individuals and organizations doing good in their communities and beyond.

In the spirit of the Be the Impact Summit, Empowered Flower Girl is continuing to share funding opportunities for young changemakers as well as community organizations.

Here are a couple funding opportunities worth exploring:

New York Life Foundation’s Aim High Grant for Middle School Programs 

http://www.afterschoolalliance.org/awards.cfm

New York Life Foundation will make 40 grants to out-of-school time programs serving youth, specifically middle schoolers, through its Aim High grant program. The program is part of the company’s ongoing investment in middle school OST programs to help eighth-graders reach ninth grade on track and on time. One- and two-year grants are available. Applications are due February 1, 2023 at 5 p.m. ET.

Pace e Bene Changemaker Youth Grants 

https://paceebene.org/changemaker-grants

Pace e Bene is thrilled to announce a second round of Changemaker Youth Grants! Youth ages 12-23 can receive up to $1,000 for projects that provide a creative solution that addresses violence in their community. These projects can be creative, artistic, out-of-the-box ideas. Ideally, they advance a nonviolent solution or alternative to the problem. 

“The Changemaker Youth Grants are about supporting the brilliant and wise ideas that young people have for addressing violence in our communities,” said Rivera Sun, Pace e Bene program coordinator. “With creativity and out-of-the-box thinking, these projects offer hope, inspiration, and tangible change. We were blown away by the 2022 recipients, and can’t wait to see what this year’s applicants dream up.” 

Applications are due on Feb 10, 2023. Awards will be announced by Feb 20. Projects will be completed by June 1, 2023. All recipients must be available to attend a virtual Final Showcase in June. 

She’s EmPOWERed: Maryland Teen Inspires Youth to Serve with Small Things Matter Organization

Posted on by empoweredflowergirl

For as long as she can remember, Lana Anderson has been involved in her community. As a preschooler, she would make crafts for children as part of the National Institute of Health’s Thoughtful Treasures program. And as a middle school student, she was an active member of her school’s Difference Makers service club.

Those experiences fueled her passion for giving back. And now at 18, she continues to serve and encourage others through her nonprofit, Small Things Matter (STM).

“I started Small Things Matter as a way to empower younger children to serve and create lifelong habits of giving back,” said Lana, who is currently studying biology at the University of Maryland. “Our motto is kid-powered kindness for those in need.”

Small Things Make a Big Difference

Small Things Matter hosts several events and initiatives under three programs: a food distribution program, a literacy program and a crafting for charity program.

Through its food distribution program, STM provides nutritious grocery items to over 1,000 local families each month, totaling about 1 million pounds of food each year. “These fresh produce, dairy and nonperishable items allow families to feed their children healthy, delicious, high-quality meals,” Lana noted.

The Books for Bedtime literacy program provides new books to underserved children and their families in an effort to build a strong educational foundation.

Crafting for Charity gives children of all ages and abilities the opportunity to share their talents with those in need at children’s hospitals, shelters, etc.

Through these projects, STM hopes to nourish children’s bodies, minds and spirits and motivate youth of all ages to give back.

Lana’s work with Small Things Matter has been recognized by numerous government agencies as well as national organizations and businesses.

Thank you, Lana, for all you do to help improve the quality of life for others while being a positive role model for youth!

To learn more about Small Things Matter, visit www.smallthingsmatter.org.

Follow Small Things Matter on Facebook.

Youth Power Panel, Generational Givers highlight of 2022 Be the Impact Summit

Posted on by empoweredflowergirl

Empowered Flower Girl’s 2022 Be the Impact Summit welcomed youth and adult participants from the US, Canada and the UK on Saturday, October 8. The virtual event showcased young changemakers and social entrepreneurs as well as provided resources for those aspiring to make a difference in their communities. 

The summit kicked off with a video presentation featuring the Generational Givers – youth enrolled in Take My Hand’s community outreach and volunteer program. 

Four young social entrepreneurs and nonprofit founders – from Washington and Texas to Georgia – shared their impact stories and offered tips to the audience on how to get started in service as well as how to find resources to support your endeavors. 

Rasheda Kamaria Williams, chief empowering officer for Empowered Flower Girl, hosted the event and facilitated the “Passion. Purpose. Profession” workshop and discussion which offered tips for youth to be strategic about their community service. Tia Russell, founder of Detroit-based nonprofit Take My Hand, joined the conversation highlighting her organization’s Generational Givers program. 

Participants also learned about the numerous funding, fellowship and recognition opportunities available through Youth Service America. Nikki Liles, YSA director of partnerships, shared information about programs like the Hershey Heartwarming Young Heroes Grants and the Everyday Young Hero Awards. 

The event concluded with the Impact Ideas and She’s EmPOWERed alumni giveaways. Esha Aggarwal of Illinois and Cassidy Conley of Michigan were selected to each receive a $250 e-gift card. 

The 2022 Be the Impact Summit was sponsored by the Consulate General of Israel to the Midwest. Empowered Flower Girl was one of three Detroit-area organizations/social enterprises to receive a Social Impact Grant from the Consulate in June. The event was produced by coordinating sponsor Foundation Management LLC. 

VIEW SUMMIT RECORDING:

https://youtu.be/rIL5FTzvLuM

She’s EmPOWERed: Detroit senior personifies excellence – from academics to athletics

Posted on by empoweredflowergirl

From academics to athletics, Taylor Weston excels. She’s an honor and international baccalaureate student boasting a 4.0 g.p.a. and member of a history-making lacrosse team. 

And to top it all off, she’s actively involved in the community. 

Taylor, a senior at Cass Technical High School in Detroit, Mich. (Rasheda Kamaria’s alma mater), has demonstrated herself to be a leader. A star lacrosse player and co-captain on one of the first girls lacrosse teams in Detroit, Taylor is making moves on and off the field. 

In addition to her academic and athletic endeavors, she is a member of the Co-Ette Club, an organization dedicated to promoting the values of sisterhood, volunteerism, leadership and philanthropy; a Congress of Future Medical Leaders scholar, and a third-year participant in the Doctors of Tomorrow program at the University of Michigan in preparation to pursue a healthcare career in college. 

“After undergrad, I will be going to med school to become a forensic pathologist,” Taylor said. “Outside of career and school, I want to continue to travel and visit the other countries on my bucket list.”

According to Taylor’s sister Janel Johnson, Taylor learned the importance of giving back to the community at an early age from family members. 

“Whether it is serving food at a homeless shelter or planting flowers at the local senior citizens home, Taylor’s mission is to be a global change maker,” Janel said. 

With Taylor’s dedication, discipline and desire to make a difference, we are certain she will go far. 

Starting Your Own Business: Becoming a Business Owner as a Teenager

Posted on by empoweredflowergirl

By Joyce Wilson

Have you thought about starting your own business but are unsure if you can because you are a teenager? It’s possible to run a business of your own even if you’re not out of high school.

Working for yourself can come with many benefits, including learning how to manage money and teaching you about investing in your company, and it can give you an idea of what type of career you want to pursue in the future. 

The Benefits of Working for Yourself

Working for yourself can teach you many helpful habits when it comes to money management. You can learn about setting aside money to reinvest in your company and estimating how much you’ll need to get started. Building your own business is easier if you have low overhead, or don’t have to spend a lot of money to get set up and run your company. 

For individuals who are trying to build upon their commerce skills, this can be a useful way to solve problems (such as filling a need for your community), showcase your creativity (creating or designing something that people will buy).

Budgeting and Saving While Running a Business

After you have identified what type of business you want to create, set up a budget for your company, planning on how much you will spend. According to experts, this will help stay within spending limits and help you avoid spending too much money before your company has had a chance to take off.

Saving money is important because you’ll want to reinvest earnings into your company. You’ll want to identify what your profits and losses are, and use this information to tweak changes to your company so that you can ensure you are earning as much as possible. 

Potential Work in Animal Care

Are you wondering what type of business you could set up as a teenager? If you love animals, consider working with them and setting up a company that caters to their needs. You could become a dog walker or offer pet sitting services either in your home or the home of the pet’s owner. 

This business model wouldn’t cost much to get started since you’d only need to focus on marketing efforts, and you could take on as many clients as you felt comfortable managing. If you want to stand out from the competition while marketing, try using an online logo maker so you can make custom logos instantly and easily. Select a style and icon, choose the text you want, and you’ll be able to view different logos in a variety of colors and fonts. 

Working with Children

Babysitting can be fun for individuals who like to work with children. Much like pet sitting, you can set your own hours and work as much or little as you would like. You might take care of children for a few hours or a majority of the day. Your efforts will mostly rely on marketing and word of mouth to help you find customers, thereby keeping your costs low and making this a worthwhile venture. 

Even if you are still a teenager, there are plenty of ways to build a business of your own. This can teach you valuable skills that can help you in college and beyond, no matter what you choose to pursue later in life. 

Joyce Wilson is a retired teacher and enjoys sharing lesson plans, resources, and teaching tips on Teacher Spark. Her website is a compilation of practical resources that will inspire student engagement and instill a love for learning. By tapping into a student’s natural creativity and curiosity, Joyce believes that they can take their education to a new level.

Girlpreneur logo

The Girlpreneur Expo is Back!

Are you a girlpreneur or aspiring young entrepreneur in the Detroit area? If so, join us on Saturday, August 13 for the Girlpreneur Expo, hosted by the T-Rose Foundation. The event is free for attendees. Register via Eventbrite or visit www.t-rose.com/girlpreneur. Empowered Flower Girl will be there with information about our workshops and programs, including how you can get featured in our She’s EmPOWERed column and attend our Be the Impact Summit this fall.

Empowered Flower Girl one of three Detroit area organizations to win a $5,000 Social Impact Grant

Posted on by empoweredflowergirl

The Consulate General of Israel to the Midwest announced winners of its Social Impact Grants during an awards ceremony on Friday, June 17, in Detroit.

Empowered Flower Girl was selected among three Michigan-based organizations to receive a grant.

Other organizations awarded include: Detroiters Working for Environmental Justice and Quartz Water Source.

“Out of the numerous applications that we received, these three grassroots organizations reflect a value that is also quintessential to Israeli society: taking care of our own and each other” said Yinam Cohen, Consul General of Israel to the Midwest.

Empowered Flower Girl will use the funds to host events this fall, including a Be the Impact Summit in honor of International Day of the Girl and service-learning showcase for youth.

“At Empowered Flower Girl, our tagline is be empowered, live powerfully and this wonderful Social Impact Grant from the Consulate General of Israel to the Midwest will help us continue our work with young people who are being the change in their schools, communities and in the world,” said EFG Founder and Chief Empowering Officer Rasheda Williams.

In 2021, the Consulate provided its first Social Impact Grants in Minneapolis. The Consulate General of Israel to the Midwest is charged with connecting to the following states: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.

She’s EmPOWERed: Jet-setting teen encourages others to embrace their uniqueness with Wonderfully Weird campaign 

Posted on by empoweredflowergirl

“Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” It’s a proverb that has been recited for centuries. But for many people, words do hurt. And for others, words are motivation.  

Meet Brooklyn D. – a talented, artistic and unique 14-year-old girl with a kind spirit.  

Last month, a few girls at her school attempted to break her spirit by teasing her, writing “Brooklyn is wird (weird)” on the bathroom wall. Brooklyn was understandably upset. 

But she wasn’t defeated. She didn’t let those words break her. Instead, she worked with her aunt to create the ultimate clap back.  

Brooklyn embraced the moniker and decided that she’s “Wonderfully Weird.” 

With her aunt’s help, she launched the campaign and designed a special t-shirt in support and celebration of anyone who’s been bullied for being uniquely themselves.  

“I created the shirts to let people know to be themselves and be comfortable in their own skin,” said Brooklyn, creator of the Jr. Jetsetter travel blog. “We want to encourage them to be themselves and to not care what anybody says about them.” 

The Wonderfully Weird t-shirts are $25.00 and come in a variety of sizes (S-XL).  

For more information about the shirts or to follow Brooklyn’s journey and her travels, be sure to connect via Instagram at @myjrjetsetter or at www.jrjetsetter.com.