North Glendale students raise $4,000 for local nonprofits

Rather than asking families for donations, students were encouraged to earn the money themselves through creative, self-led efforts such as lemonade stands, lawn care, babysitting, and other entrepreneurial activities. The initiative emphasized empathy, responsibility and community engagement.

"Instead of asking parents to donate money, the goal was for students to raise funds to give," said Mrs. Stickley, Changemaker Club sponsor. "It’s easy to ask for money. It’s much harder to hold others in your heart while you are actively working to help them."

The Changemaker Club selected five local nonprofit organizations to support, focusing on the elderly, individuals with disabilities, children in hospitals, children in foster care in need of forever homes, and those experiencing food insecurity. The selected organizations include Kinwell Senior Living, TASK, Duo Dogs, Angels’ Arms and KirkCare.

On April 30, North Glendale hosted a special recognition event where representatives from each organization met with the Changemaker Club. During the event, students expressed their gratitude and learned how their contributions will directly impact the community. Each organization received a donation of $817, along with handwritten thank you notes from the students.

"The opportunity for students to hear directly from these organizations made the experience even more meaningful," Stickley added. "It helped them see the real world impact of their efforts."

The North Glendale Changemaker Club is an after school program dedicated to spreading kindness within the school and the broader community. Earlier this spring, the club’s "Inked for Impact" campaign raised over $500 for Gateway Pet Guardians.