Syria's next generation

Safe2Tell is a unified statewide system where students can anonymously report concerns or threats, since research shows other students often know about a threat before it is carried out. Teams trained in risk assessment intervene before an attack can happen by contacting parents, making a welfare check, and/or talking with students. The success of the system led to the adoption of similar programs in Oregon, Nevada, and Wyoming.

Whanyinna is a floating primary school, providing education and opportunity to children in a town where fishing has historically been the top priority. With support from volunteer teachers, more than 300 students have received basic education in subjects like English, math and science, giving local youth a new sense of hope and self-worth.

Project ACT provides support services to 1,000 Cleveland public school students experiencing homelessness or living with guardians other than their parents. Students are set up with a life skills coach who provides emotional and academic support to cope with traumatic life experiences. To ensure stability during COVID-19, Project ACT distributed hotspots and Chromebooks to all 1,000 children they work with. Life coach sessions transitioned to Zoom, where weekly online tutoring sessions were also hosted. Students could also receive gift cards, enrichment packets, school supplies, and hygiene items if needed.

The organization, Friends of the Children, is dedicated to breaking the cycle of poverty by giving at-risk children adult mentors to help guide them. The program results in kids who avoid teen pregnancy, graduate from high school, and don't end up in the criminal justice system.

Game of Life Mentoring (GOL) uses basketball and other sports as a bridge to build mental health skills, improve emotional regulation and open employment pathways for at-risk youth ages 12–26. Founded in response to gun violence and youth suicide in the community, the program pairs physical activity with intentional life skills instruction, conflict resolution and job training. Over 2,000 young people have participated in the program, and 160 participants have secured employment — including 65 who got their first job through GOL.

The Netrevalók program pairs tech-savvy Hungarian high school students with seniors in monthly library sessions to teach digital skills. They have reached 59,000 participants and reduced both digital isolation and loneliness while fostering empathy and purpose in young volunteers through meaningful intergenerational connections.

Central City Neighborhood Partners developed culturally-tailored "healing programs" to address mental health challenges in the Latine community. The program offers Zumba classes, art therapy, sewing circles, gardening, and women's healing circles, integrating mental health care into everyday community activities rather than isolating it in clinical settings. The approach builds on family and community values and provides services in colloquial Spanish, indigenous languages like K'iche', and Korean to meet the linguistic needs of residents.

Raw Art Works is a nonprofit youth development organization that provides art therapy services to 290 youth each week. Studies show art therapy can reduce psychiatric readmission rates for patients, and those who participated in the program say it has been life-changing, teaching them coping skills that supported them into adulthood.

Lincoln Literacy addresses language barriers for immigrants and refugees through a volunteer-based ESL program that offers over 100 classes across nine locations in Lincoln, Nebraska. The organization's model includes community classes, workplace partnerships where employers pay for on-site instruction during work hours and a student-centered curriculum that adapts to real-world communication needs. The group has been operating since 1975.

Volunteers with BeLoved Asheville are bringing Asheville residents water so they can flush toilets, wash their hands and shower amid the water scarcity caused by Hurricane Helene. These improvised distribution systems have become crucial to ensure residents can maintain their hygiene and prevent illness until their normal water access is restored.