2022 Riley's Way \"Call For Kindness\" Winner, The Sweet Squad
2022 Riley's Way Call For Kindness winner, The Sweet Squad, promotes positive self-image in girls of color through entrepreneurship, literacy resources, and leadership development programming.

Riley's Way is celebrating its 2022 Call For Kindness winners: 36 young changemakers from across the country who have just earned their way into a dynamic leadership development fellowship and up to $3,000 each for their projects that inspire kindness and uplift their communities.

"I am excited to share the high-quality work these young changemakers around the country are doing to bring kindness to their communities," shared Ian Sandler, Co-Founder and Board Chair of Riley's Way. "Never have I been prouder of the youth stepping up to answer the Call For Kindness at a time when the need is so great. At Riley's Way, we provide them with the opportunity to develop their leadership skills, and to amplify it in their communities as we build a movement for kindness, together."

The Call For Kindness projects create a kinder relationship within communities and in our environment, leading the way to a better future. And, at a time when kind and empathetic leadership is sorely needed, Riley's Way Foundation supports and empowers the next generation of kind leaders in this country. 

"The 2022 Call For Kindness projects reflect the issues top of mind for young people today," shared Dr. Christine O'Connell, Executive Director of Riley's Way. "This year, we selected ten inspiring projects focusing on mental health to reflect the current events happening across our nation and world today. These young leaders answered the call in ways both powerful and purposeful."

Highlights of Call For Kindness winners include Chloe (NY, 15 years old) founding Teen Cares to support Ukrainian refugees with care packages and a website showcasing their writing and art to bolster self-confidence; Stephanie (TX, 17 years old) launching Project Unmasked, a national program promoting public health literacy and legislative action; Ryan (NY, 15) establishing Project Loving Me with workshops focused on de-stigmatization and mental health for the South Asian community; and Pachelle (FL, 19 years old) starting Justice Is Us to help address mental health challenges caused by racial and ethnic discrimination and to foster community connection among Black youth in the US and the Caribbean.

In addition to the 2022 Call For Kindness winners, Riley's Way Foundation awarded eight continuation grants for previous winners to continue their social impact work, such as Isabella's I Matter and Charlie's Friendly Fridge Network. Additional examples are in the winner list. 

To learn more about Riley's Way, visit RileysWay.org or support the Movement on Instagram @rileyswayfoundation, Twitter @RileysWayFdn, and Facebook @RileysWayFoundation. 
 

2022 Call For Kindness Winners:

Sydney, 20 (and team), (BE) KIND Initiative, Chattanooga, TN

Allegra, 18 (and team), CogWell's FRIENDS REACH OUT, Philadelphia, PA

Hailey, 14, Kid Caregivers, Plainview, NY

Lily, 18 (and team), Lean on Me College Park, College Park, MD

Shiloh, 15 (and team), NAV, Baltimore, MD

Ryan, 15 (and team), Project Loving Me, Brooklyn, NY

Gillian, 17 (and team), Recovery Meet-Ups, San Diego, CA

Solya, 17 (and team), SoulTalks, Brooklyn, NY 

Grayson, 22 (and team), T.R.A.N.S. (Togetherness + Really Awesome Non-Normative Support), Tucson, AZ

Chloe, 15 (and team), Teen Cares, Dobbs Ferry, NY

Isobel, 16 (and team), Supporting Elders and Connecting Generations through Ballet, Metairie, LA (Yuriko Kikuchi Arigato Award Winner)

Sunya, 15, #MyStory Program, Buffalo, NY

Sophia, 16 (and team), Arnod Art Club, New York, NY

Alyssa, 20, Homeless Scholar Flex Fund, Portland, OR

Maya, 17, Girls STEM Academy, Denver, CO

Sriya, 15, Girls Who STEAM, Basking Ridge, NJ

Miarri (and team), 21, Green Goddess, Denver, CO

Jae, 16 (and team), Grow Kindness, Greenville, NC

Jeremiah, 17 (and team), Hotels For The Holidays, South Carolina

Aarya, 17 (and team), Imagine, Innovate, Inspire (I3) Competition, Connecticut

Pachelle, 19 (and team), Justice Is Us Project, Miami, FL

Jean, 16 (and team), Leaders Across the World, Camas, WA

Avery, 14, Love Carries On, Chicago, IL

Libby, 17 (and team), Perceptions International, Haddam, CT

Alex, 17 (and team), Project Pathway, Cupertino, CA

Stephanie, 17, Project Unmasked, Stephanie, TX

William, 20, RoboRecovery, New Orleans, LA

Addison, 16 (and team), Spread Your Sunshine, Moorhead, MN

Arianna, 18 (and team), The Social Cube-Community Closet, Baltimore, MD

Jasper, 18 (and team), The Aspen Project, Boise, ID

Christianna, 16, The Sweet Squad, Jacksonville, FL

Banks, 15, The Young Writers Workshop, Jacksonville, FL

Manavii, 17 (and team), Tunes for Kidz, Brentwood, TN

Roshan, 17, VoicesGo, San Diego, CA

Zahra, 15, "You've Got This" Teacher Baskets, Fairfax, VA

Jessica, 15, Youth Activism Alliance, Sherwood, OR
 

2022 Call For Kindness Continuation Grant Recipients:

Kristie (and team), Orange County, CA, Amigos Con Todos

Dylan (and team) Hoboken, NJ, Computers 4 People

Jonathan (and team), Miami, FL, Helping Hands

Isabella, Landenberg, PA, I Matter

Esha & Shreyaa, Ashburn, VA, NEST4US

Michelle, San Francisco, CA, Stories to Heal

Vivian (and team), Dallas/Fort Worth, TX The Formula Project

Charlie, NY, NY, The Friendly Fridge Network

Media Contact: 

Shonda Smith, 848.999.4518, ssmith@rileysandler.org