A group of kids is trying to make a difference in the world by starting at a young age.
Each child in 100 Kids Who Care Kelowna is learning to inspire others and donate to causes they support.
“They come together four times a year to select charities that they believe in, that they nominate,” Richard Deacon, 100 Kids Who Care Kelowna founder, said. “Ultimately they give $10 of their own money, or money that their parents have helped them earn, to the charity that they choose.”
The children, between five to 17 years old, met at Okanagan College on Thursday night to cast their votes for their preferred charity.
The kids raised $1,000 to split between Joanna’s House, the United Way and World Wildlife Fund.
Many have also signed up for the I Can app, which offers challenges to kids, such as taking shorter showers or creating care packages for a shelter.
“It’s super inspirational to see kids so young wanting to be part of something like this, giving back, already thinking, using their love of technology already to do good and make a difference in their community,” Abbey Jones, Enactus Okanagan College president, said.
100 Kids Kelowna is a spinoff from similar adult groups and part of a movement across North America.
“We’re under 10 years away from having millennials being the main people in the workforce, so I think teaching students that they can be their own bosses and become entrepreneurs and give back to their community — I think it’s a really inspirational way to do business,” Jones said.