Feeling Inspired by the "ABDC" Champions for Charity special? Wanna get involved? Well, you can start giving back today through DoSomething.org!
1) Volunteer in your community. Text "DoSomething" to 30644 to get two local volunteer opportunities each month.
2) Join our monthly cause campaigns. Every month there's a new cause and a new way to take action.
3) Take action year round. Grab your friends and start a Do Something Club to get prizes, cash and tons of resources.
4) Want more action ideas? Pick your cause and get all the info you need to start your own project.
5) Already doing something awesome? Apply for a Do Something Grant and get $$ to take your project to the next level!
For more info on each of the five amazing young people featured on the episode, check out their bios and Web sites below:
Marvelyn Brown, 25 (Brooklyn, NY)
marvelynbrown.com
Marvelyn contracted HIV through unsafe sex and is now a dedicated activist for HIV/AIDS prevention and education. Through her nonprofit organization Marvelous Connections, she has given a voice to the rapidly rising number of women afflicted with both diseases in the United States. She has appeared on “The Oprah Winfrey Show,” CNN and multiple other media programs and outlets in support of these efforts. She has spoken to more than half a million people globally to date, 200,000 of which went on to be tested for HIV/AIDS after listening to her speak. Her goal is to continue using her personal story of contraction to educate others and, ultimately, stop the spread of HIV/AIDS.
Josh Sundquist, 25 (Washington D.C.)
JoshSundquist.com
Josh is a cancer survivor, amputee and Paralympic skier who created the social networking site Less Than Four, where amputees can ask questions, get answers and develop a community. Josh competed in the 2006 Paralympics in Turin, Italy, and has been published in The Washington Post, Daily Guideposts, the Richmond Times and Current, Newsweek’s college magazine. Additionally, his memoir, "Just Don’t Fall," was release through Viking/Penguin in January of this year.
Jordan Coleman, 14 (Hackensack, NJ)
sayitloudfilm.com
After learning that less than half of African-American males graduate from high school, Jordan developed and released the film “Say It Loud” to promote the importance of education. (Watch the film in its entirety at sayitloudfilm.com.) He took the film on a seven-city tour and continues to spread his message at community centers and schools across the country. He was also the only young person invited to speak alongside notable community activists Al Sharpton and Wyclef Jean at the Education Equality Rally during the Obama presidential inauguration.
Sarah Cronk, 16 (Bettendorf, IA)
thesparkleeffect.org
Sarah started one of the country’s first cheerleading squads for students with special needs -- the Spartan Sparkles -- and went on to co-found the nonprofit organization The Sparkle Effect, which aims to inspire and empower high-school cheerleaders across the country to start their own squads for individuals with special needs.
Jackie Rotman, 18 (Santa Barbara, CA)
everybodydancenow.org
Jackie created Everybody Dance Now (EDN!) to provide a healthy outlet to the nearly 2,000 Santa Barbara-area youths who are considered at-risk to join local gangs. Through dance classes, the organization provides young people a free and compassionate environment away from peer pressure, violence, drugs and alcohol. Jackie has helped more than 750 local Santa Barbara young people to date and is currently working on expanding EDN! so she can reach more individuals.