For the last 8 months, I've had the privilege of volunteering my time with an amazing organization called Future Possibilities for Kids. As a KidCoach for their Ready, Set, Goal! Program, I was paired with a 10-year old girl named Raagavi, and we're worked together each week through activities and exercises designed to develop her leadership skills. The program is culminating this month with Raagavi achieving her self-determined goal of raising awareness for youth homelessness, and getting 10 of her friends and family to participate in fundraising programs for Eva's Place, a shelter supporting homeless youth in downtown Toronto.

Watching Raagavi grow from a quiet & shy aspiring leader into a brave, outspoken, confident and creative problem-solver has been one of the most humbling and rewarding experiences of my life. To think that my time not only helped Raagavi grow into her own leadership potential, but had the downstream impact of contributing to the poverty crisis in Toronto, taught me a lifelong lesson: the world is changed one person (one kid!) at a time, and all it takes to change the world is your time.

While the program, like the whole world, was impacted by the onslaught of COVID-19, preventing Raagavi and I from working together in person, the organizers at FPK were relentless in ensuring all Kids continued to enjoy and learn from the program at home. The agility and creativity with which this organization responded to the crisis, providing kids consistent learning opportunities while many of their schools were unable to do the same, is a critical and heroic accomplishment that should be acknowledged, celebrated, and supported.

As the 2020 Ready, Set, Goal! Program comes to a close, I would like to ask for your support by considering one of these two suggestions:

1. Change a kid's life by becoming a KidCoach this year.

This program truly does change kids' lives, and helps to create an army of intelligent, compassionate, and couragous leaders that will shape our future communities. But beyond that, this program has been an incredible learning experience for me - I've been humbled by and refined my coaching skills, I've learned how to better communicate with kids, particularly those in their middle years (9-12 years old), and I've been reminded of the qualities it takes to be a leader in my community. I've become a more confident leader by coaching a Kid to become the same, and I will carry these lessons with me for my whole life. If you choose to participate in this program, I know that you would have the same experience of growth.

So, if you live in Toronto and are looking for a way to enrich your life and give back to your community, I can not recommend this program highly enough. The FPK team will be recruiting new KidCoaches for the 2021 program this summer, and I would love to encourage you to join. If you're interested, please reach out to me, and I'll provide you more resources about how you can participate in this amazing program. And if you don't live in Toronto, please check volunteer postings in your city to see how you can donate your time to helping kids grow in your community!

2. Support a Kid's participation in the Ready, Set, Goal! program by donating any amount you can - and I'll match it.

This program is not possible without dedicated organizers who work round-the-clock to provide meaningful learning opportunities for kids, and they need our support. Your small donation today will ensure that more Kids are able to participate in the 2021 program than ever before, and will change those kids' lives forever. I am seeking to raise $200 in the month of May from loved ones like you, and at the end of the month, I'll match the donations for a total fundraising goal of $400. If you don't live in Toronto, or are unable to volunteer your time, this is the next-best way to cast your ballot for the future of our communities. You can donate directly from this page; if you have any difficulties donating, please let me know!

I know that in these uncertain and challenging economic times, it can be difficult to find the spare change to support causes you believe in. However, if you are able to support, please know that any amount you can contribute is enough, and is directly funding the development of our future leaders.

Regardless of which of these options to support are available to you, please know that your consideration is deeply appreciated -- by FPK, by the kids whose lives you are changing, and by me.

Finally, thank you to FPK, whose leaders provided me and Raagavi this amazing opportunity to learn and grow together.

Thank you so very much.

-Tim