The Future of Good
Client: U.S. Cellular
Project: The Future of Good program champions and invests in youth who make a positive impact in their communities. The wireless carrier celebrated these young humanitarians by amplifying the good they've done and pledging a combined total of $42,000, consisting of in-kind and monetary contributions to help each youth to continue building The Future of Good.
Role: In order to tell each of the kids' stories in a unique way, we partnered with illustrator Geo Law to create custom portraits. Geo also illustrated artwork which was then animated over the live-action videos.
Illustrator: Geo Law
Type: Broadcast (OLV), Web, Social, Print
CHRIS - KINSTON, NC
As a way to improve his hometown, Chris founded Kinston Teens, a nonprofit organization designed to empower youth through service and civic engagement. Chris and the Kinston Teens work to revitalize their city by adopting and cleaning up streets, creating gardens out of vacant lots and finding ways for others to get involved in their mission. Chris continues to advocate new ways that local teens can help good happen to lead them toward a more positive and rewarding path, ultimately creating ambassadors for their community.
ALLIE - TULSA, OK
When she was just seven years old, Allie started Tulsa YouthWorks, a free five-week summer program for low-income kids with activities, service projects and meals, which she funded by selling candy bars and writing grants. Eight years later, Tulsa YouthWorks has grown to include a 10-week summer program, after-school program and “Pizza Factory,” which helps kids to develop their own business plans and raise money for college while making pizza.
AVA - OMAHA, NE
During the Christmas season, Ava makes toys for low-income kindergarten students at Council Bluffs Elementary School. When Ava learned that some young children do not receive gifts during the holidays, she decided to make gifts so that all children received something. Determined to make a difference, Ava began spending her evenings after school creating different homemade toys and jewelry to give as gifts to local children, such as those in the care of Children’s Square U.S.A.
ALLY, MACKENZIE & YELFY - WA
As seniors in high school, Ally, Mackenzie, and Yelfy run two charitable programs in their community: Dresses for Hope and Exchange for Change. These programs allow students at their high school and in low-income areas the opportunity to get a prom dress. Dresses for Hope allows students to choose a dress at no cost, and Exchange for Change lets girls swap out their old dresses for something new. In 2016, the girls collected more than 400 dress donations to offer the local students a variety of styles.
BRIE - OKLAHOMA CITY, OK
Brie bakes cookies to raise money for a variety of charities doing good in her community through her self-run nonprofit, Cookies Because. She has baked over 6,000 cookies to raise money for supply backpacks for the homeless, supporting Alzheimer’s research and stocking supplies for local animal shelters. For her next fundraiser, Brie wants to donate to the Children’s Hospital Foundation. A sweet way to make an impact.
TOMMY - BANGOR, ME
When Tommy was nine years old, he lost his grandmother, Mimi, to ovarian cancer and saw the impact it made on his family first hand. After a small book sale he created to raise funds for cancer research, his mission grew with more activities and advocacy. Each year, Tommy hosts an annual softball tournament to help raise awareness and funds for the fight to cure cancer. In the last six years, he’s led his community and raised over $41,000 with the goal that no other family should go through the impact of losing a loved one to cancer.
KATELYN AND MAKAYLA - NC
Starting with a mission to save the sea turtle, Katelyn and Makayla are all in on saving the environment, especially when it comes to water. The dynamic duo engages underserved youth through outdoor activities and environmental service projects which model leadership and promote outreach, all while having fun. The majority of their educational and service efforts are run through the Love A Sea Turtle foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to marine and ocean conservation awareness by engaging students in leadership development and environmental stewardship.
KALEB - CEDAR RAPIDS, IA
After noticing that people with special needs didn’t have the same access to extracurricular activities, Kaleb founded Dancing Away the Stigma (DATS) to raise money for Camp Courageous, a year-round camp for Iowans of all ages with special needs. He hopes to make DATS an official nonprofit and bring dance to more special-needs curricula.