Caring Causes: Riley's Way #CallforKindness

 Riley's Way is a national nonprofit that empowers teens to bring their leadership visions and creative ideas to life by leaning on kindness and empathy. Our flagship #CallForKindness program asks young people (13-22 years old) from across the country to submit a proposal for a project that will bring more kindness into the world.

Mackenzie and Ian Sandler established the Riley's Way Foundation in 2014 in loving memory of their daughter Riley Hannah Sandler. By supporting and connecting young leaders around the country to become powerful voices and kind leaders, we believe Riley's Way youth leaders are the answer to bringing hope and meaning to our nation and world during these challenging times. We work with young leaders to use kindness and empathy to create meaningful connections and positive change to make a difference in their communities.

Young people are invited to share a new or existing project idea, tackling topics such as pressing equity and social justice issues or building meaningful connections within the school or community. As many as 35 youth-led projects will receive awards up to $3,000 each. A separate category will consider 10 projects specifically focused on mental health, recognizing the growing need to highlight this critical issue only amplified by the pandemic.

The work of young people to date has been awe-inspiring. Young leaders have worked on a wide range of initiatives including increasing access to health and wellness resources for vulnerable communities in Washington, D.C.; bridging the demographic gap in the tech industry by providing opportunities to underrepresented youth in New York City; empowering youth in California with the tools needed for expression, free of shame or fear; and helping teens in Kentucky manage mental health through innovative connection and communication techniques. For more information on the young people who have answered the #CallForKindness, check out past winners and their projects here.

“Being a Riley’s Way Fellow has meant so much more than just the grant,” shared Michelle Qiao, Founder of Stories to Heal and a 2021 #CallForKindness Fellow. “I’ve been able to learn so much from the resources and workshops, and I have met amazing people from all across the country and gotten to know their work in their communities. Riley’s Way has given me such a strong support system and a sense of community.”