Scrapbook Stories

Discovering Many Ways to Make a Difference

When 11-year-old Nicole Manzione of Carnation decided to pursue her Girl Scout Bronze Award, a series of projects for Hopelink was a great fit. In the process of earning the Bronze Award, girls learn about leadership, serving others, identifying those in need, and determining how to best help those in need. Nicole already knew about Hopelink through drives done by her Girl Scout troop and her church. She started out by emailing her neighborhood and asking friends for food donations she would pass along to Hopelink. Nicole thought the response - 96 pounds - was okay but not enough. Then, Nicole was given the opportunity to help out with her church's Vacation Bible School, and a new path to the Bronze Award emerged.

As part of the vacation bible school curriculum on serving family, friends and the community, Nicole guided and taught approximately 50 students every day about Hopelink and about people in their community who could be lifted up with a little help. Every day, the students engaged in a different project for people in need. For Hopelink clients, they assembled 105 "birthdays in a bag," 41 personal hygiene kits and 55 backpacks filled with school supplies. To make sure everyone was included, Nicole took aside a little girl with special needs who couldn't participate in the other activities, and asked her help in sorting the school supplies collected. The little girl loved it!

         
Nicole sums up her experience by saying: "It was fun teaching the kids! I also learned that people don't need to be homeless to need help. There are many ways to make a difference. I hope this made a difference in my town of Carnation!"