(May 8, 2024) – Youth across the greater North Texas area pitched in to help improve lives and support the efforts of area charities for Global Youth Service Month.
In 15 nonprofit projects, over 1,000 teens helped food pantries, homeless shelters, refugees, city cleanups, animal conservation centers, special needs therapeutic horse centers and more.
Youth found projects using the help of JustServe.org, a free app and website that connects the needs of charities with volunteers. For 36 years, Global Youth Service Month has brought people together for community service events, this year from April 12-May 12. This event highlights youth ages 5 to 25 as they unite for a great cause within their community.
On Saturday, local youth will help Equihope horse farm to paint the metal fencing for the stables and pasture, finishing a task in one day that could take one or two people more than a week to complete. This project expresses gratitude to EquiHope staff and volunteers who have helped so many individuals and their families.
In Carrolton, 200 youth rallied behind The Birthday Party Project, spreading joy to homeless teens and children in Dallas through birthday celebrations. Teens enthusiastically put together 790 party favor bags, through donations gathered through the community and members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This project resulted in a month's worth of parties for those in need, promising countless smiles and moments of happiness.
At Fossil Rim Wildlife Conservation center, youth clear brush in the pastures; stain benches and the stage for the outdoor classroom; recycle feed bags; and remove old fencing. Children and youth truly do make a difference.
See service project video reels at facebook.com/justservenorthtexas
Scott Hughes, a director at Fossil Rim, shared the volunteers supported Fossil Rim and allowed employees to focus their efforts on the conservation programs to protect endangered wildlife species.
The annual Global Youth Service Day sponsored by Youth Service America can help foster a spirit of community and service and teach youngsters that service does not need to be complicated.
At Tarrant Area Food Bank, youth served for two hours helping to sort and prepare heads of cabbage for families in need throughout the Tarrant County Area.
At Christ’s Haven in North Richland Hills, 100 youth made reusable grocery bags out of recycled t-shirts to be used at the food pantry at Christ's Haven, a JustServe partner. The teens made 260 bags in less than three hours.
At Frisco’s Clean It and Green It city cleanup, youth served despite rainstorms to clean up trash. Rian Wilson, a young adult who served in Frisco, said “I enjoyed serving the community. I loved that we were given a trail as our location to pick up trash. Even with the rain, it was fun to be able to be out in nature with my friends and work alongside them to serve out community.”
In Tyler, 300 youth showed up to serve those struggling with food insecurity at East Texas Food Bank. “It’s really good to know you get to be a part of something that big,” said Cohen Sacks, a youth volunteer for the East Texas event.
Families in Prosper joined a community Food Pack at Stonebriar Community Church for Feed My Starving Children.
Luke Compton, a seventh grader, and his sister Emma Jane, a high school sophomore, loved serving at the food pack. Luke said, “It was fun that we all worked together.” He added, “The best part is helping people in need.”
Find the perfect project for you and the young people in your life by visiting JustServe.org or for North Texas at facebook.com/justservenorthtexas