Youth Across the Nation Answer the 2025 Call for Kindness
Annual Leadership Development Fellowship provides $5,000 in funding for young people to address some of today's most pressing issues.
NEW YORK, January 8, 2025 (Newswire.com) - Riley's Way Foundation opened its Call For Kindness today, calling on young people (13-23 years old) nationwide to submit their ideas for projects rooted in kindness, empathy, youth leadership, and community. The Call For Kindness (C4K) is a year-long Fellowship that provides funding and leadership development training to youth leaders to work on social impact projects of their own design.
"In a time where our nation is deeply divided, we believe the way forward is to lean into our values and choose kindness, connection, and community," shared Dr. Christine O'Connell, Executive Director of Riley's Way Foundation. "In leadership, kindness is strength, and the Riley's Way community is proving it every day."
"Riley's Way has been supporting me throughout my entire project," says Ariela Robinson, 2024 fellow and Founder of Reducing Animal Stress. "Not only have they provided the necessary funds, but also numerous other resources, including one-on-one support from experts on resume help, networking, and marketing."
"Riley's Way has been a transformative experience, helping me grow while empowering me to contribute to a kinder world," shared Call For Kindness fellow, Jessie Baxter from Ta-Ta For Now.
As many as 45 youth-led projects will receive awards of up to $5,000 each. Participants gain crucial leadership skills in areas such as strategic planning, fundraising and outreach, active listening, fostering empathy, and communicating effectively. Youth can submit a new or existing idea centering on prevailing social impact issues and community-based needs. Separate categories will consider projects focused on LGBTQIA+ communities, civil discourse & connection, dance & the arts, animal welfare, and equity & law.
Past projects have addressed mental health and well-being, promoted racial justice, bridged the tech industry's demographic gap, supported those experiencing homelessness, combatted food insecurity, and much more. The complete list of Call For Kindness projects can be found here.
Riley's Way Foundation was established by Mackenzie and Ian Sandler in 2014 to honor the life of their late nine-year-old daughter Riley Hannah Sandler. "When we founded Riley's Way, we made a deliberate choice to honor Riley's beautiful spirit by spreading the love, kindness, and friendship that defined her," shared Ian Sandler, Co-Founder and Board Chair of Riley's Way. "Today, Riley's Way shines as a guiding light, inspiring a generation of young leaders to create a world filled with connection, compassion, and belonging."
Visit CallForKindness.org to learn more.
About Riley's Way Foundation
Riley's Way empowers young leaders by providing the leadership development, funding, and community they need to build a better, kinder world. Today more than ever, the world needs kind and empathetic leaders to address the complex challenges facing society. Research shows that leading with kindness and purpose fosters happier workplaces, more productive teams, and increased innovation. Riley's Way's Kind Leadership model centers kindness, purpose, and community.
Source: Riley's Way Foundation
