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Helping Houstonians help

By Ashley Yen, age 14 | November 1, 2018

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WHERE TO GIVE Ashley Yen, a freshman at St. John’s School, created choose2give.org, where Houston residents can find organizations that accept donations.

Sometimes research takes you in unexpected directions. When I first learned about the 8th Grade Capstone Project in Civics class, the final culminating project of middle school, I wanted to research the issue of computer access for underprivileged youth. However, after significant research looking for organizations in Houston devoted to solving the issue of technology access, I realized there was a much bigger problem in our community.

There are more than 1.5 million non-profit organizations in the U.S., and more than 96,000 in Texas alone. Before starting this project, I only knew of about 10. Even though many Houston-area organizations urgently need various items, few people are aware of their needs.

I noticed that without extensive research, it can be difficult to find organizations in need of specific types of donations. Therefore, as my Capstone project, I created choose2give.org, an online resource where Houston residents can search for and find organizations that accept donations. From places to donate cars or bikes to household items, Choose 2 Give includes more than 50 organizations in the Houston area and continues to grow its database.

While creating Choose 2 Give, I have learned of many organizations, including Angel Gowns by Diane, which provides burial gowns to families who have suffered the loss of a child, and the Foundation for Teen Health, which provides free health care to teens and young adults.

Instead of throwing away your gently used items, I urge you to take a few moments to visit choose2give.org. Though one extra jacket or toy may seem meaningless, these items could help a homeless person stay warm or provide a child a birthday gift.

The website also contains a blog where information on current or ongoing drives is displayed. I hope that the community can help Choose 2 Give grow. If you know of any organizations or drives collecting items, please email me at [email protected] or fill out the form at choose2give.org. Together we can make a difference in our community!

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