What a $10,000 Grant Could Do For My Community by Nicolette

What a $10,000 Grant Could Do For My Community by Nicolette - May 2019 Scholarship Essay

I have been very fortunate to be raised in a family that has taught me the importance of giving back. At a young age I was told to find something I was passionate about, a cause I can connect with. For me this cause is homelessness. I first experienced the crisis of homelessness as a young child, seeing people on the streets of New York City with just the clothes on their back, a shopping cart and an old cup for handouts. I will never forget the first time my mom handed me the coins from her jacket pocket. The sound of the loose change in the homeless man’s cup made me proud; I was making a difference.
It wasn’t until recently I learned that roughly 12,000 people are homeless in my own state of New Jersey. With the economy in such a bad state today, many families are having trouble making ends meet. My heart breaks for the children who are the real victims of homelessness; who have no control over the decisions that put them there and no power to change their circumstances.
I began helping by donating “fun” foods to local New Jersey food banks that I thought kids would like, such as Macaroni and cheese, Spaghetti-o’s, Teddy Grahams and fruit snacks. It was a small and simple act, but it made a big difference in my life knowing that it could possibly be changing the lives of others. I now do this several times a year.
My proudest moments in assisting the homeless were working with my Mom in organizing two great events. We first put together a “Give Back New Jersey” campaign to obtain new clothing for the homeless children. While families are struggling to provide basic needs for their kids, new clothing is usually last on their list. We reached out to Melissa Gorga of The Real Housewives of New Jersey and other local reality stars, authors, and rap artists to join us in our mission. We sold t-shirts to every attendee, and for every shirt that was sold, one was donated. My mom and I were successful in spreading the word of homelessness and the importance of doing what we can to can remove even one stress factor for kids living in shelters. The event brought in over 100 guests and is still talked about by everyone today.
We, also, organized the ‘Make a Difference Concert.” We got together a group of local up and coming artists who all volunteered their time to spread the word that you are never too young to make a difference. The concert raised money for an organization call Family Promise who provides necessities for the homeless. I couldn’t have been prouder of the success of these two events.