Change Heroes

We're a friend-funding platform that enables anyone to raise $10,000 to build a school with Free the Children.

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How Glenn Feldstein + His Friends Raised $10k To Build a School!

In less than 30 days, Glenn Feldstein and 33 of his friends raised $10,000 to fund a school in Kenya! In the video below, Glenn — a Vancouver-based realtor specialized in loft sales — shares his experience funding a school with Change Heroes.

$10k in a month is pretty unreal, so we caught up with Glenn afterward to find out how he did it. We learned that:

He filmed over 80 personalized videos

He followed up with each person by phone

When people said they’d get back to him on Friday, he called them on Friday

His girlfriend was a huge supporter and promoter

People can’t say no to his moustache. (OK, he didn’t say that, but come on, could you say no?!)

A few more questions and answers we wanted to share with you:

What inspired you to fund a school with Change Heroes? You grow up and try to make a living, and you help your clients, which has its own amazing rewards… but I’d never given back at such magnitude before. I wanted to do something to give back on a large scale, and wanted to be able to look back and say, “This is something very positive I did!”

And how did it feel to successfully raise $10k for charity? It felt great! It was like, “Wow… this really happened!” One friend actually topped up the campaign from an Internet cafe in Mexico to help me reach $10k! And then people still kept giving. 

I’m getting chills talking about it now. I didn’t know if I was going to reach the goal, and I put a lot of pressure on myself — I put so much focus on it. All month, the campaign was at the forefront of my mind, so when it finally happened my girlfriend and I were so happy and like, “Holy shit… we finally did it!”

What advice do you have for future Change Heroes? Call everyone on your list beforehand and let them know you’ll be sending them a video and would love to know what they think; that will pique their interests, and make sure they know your message isn’t spam.

Check out the video Glenn sent here!

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UBCO Students Raise $10k to build a school in Kenya in 1 Week

It’s amazing what you can do when you’re passionate about something — and remarkable how quickly others will follow when you take action toward realizing your most audacious goals.

In just one week, B.C. entrepreneur Mark Ameerali raised $10,000 with his UBCO Financial Literacy club — enough to fully fund a school through Free The Children.

Mark grew up in the Fraser Valley and is the founder of Maplequity, a consulting firm that assists Canadians looking to purchase U.S. real estate. He’s also the author of Common Sense, a book he hopes will help increase financial literacy among young Canadians.

Before graduating with a finance degree from UBC’s Sauder School of Business, he interned with HSBC and RBC Dominion Securities; after graduation, his career path led him from commercial banking to pension fund management, to Korea where he studied for his CFA.

Curious to learn more about Mark? Read on to learn more about his Change Heroes campaign, and gain a glimpse into how this adventurous world traveller leaves no dream unattempted.

7 Questions with Mark Ameerali

1. What inspired you to run a Change Heroes campaign?

I had been doing research into Free The Children as part of another top secret project that I’m working on. I saw Change Heroes on Facebook, saw that they were connected, saw how good looking Taylor was and I was thinking maybe people would consider me good looking by association if I ran a campaign… jokes aside, it did fit a few different requirements:

I love Taylor’s approach to giving: focusing on the positive instead of going for negative shock value.

I love his breakdown and explanation of the 5 components of an effective campaign.

I love the user-friendly nature of the platform (and look forward to continual improvement for next time).

I love the fact that you can make a such an important impact in such a small amount of time. $10 = 1 child educated. Brilliant!

2. You raised $10k to build a school in a single week — what do you think was key to your success?

The key to OUR success was the student group I was working with.

I teach a fantastic group of eager and bright students at UBCO in Kelowna. The group is called the UBCO Financial Literacy Club. We meet once a week and discuss different issues in financial literacy, as well as leadership, entrepreneurship and social responsibility.

I don’t charge a fee for the class, but I do require that students give back to less advantaged people in some way. As many of the students don’t have a lot of money to commit, the Change Heroes platform enabled me to offer and coordinate (with the help of Jesse Appleby) a mass effort.

We were able to study Taylor’s 5 motivators of giving and integrate lessons in the Pareto Principle (80/20 rule) and Parkinson’s Law (a task will take the time that you allot to it). All in all it was great to run our group campaign as a team.

3. What’s the boldest thing you’ve ever done?

This is a tough question to answer… in 2008 I had the inkling to visit Salto Angel, the highest waterfall in the world, in the Venezuelan part of the Amazon. So my brother and I hopped on a ferry from Trinidad (where we were visiting family) and took off on a journey to get there. Neither of us spoke a word of Spanish, and we ended up in some pretty precarious positions, but it was quite the adventure. And yes, we did get there and back without being robbed (like we did in China) or picking up any diseases (like in Cambodia… I joke, but we came close).

4. What do you want to check off your bucket list in the next 2 years?

I can proudly say that my bucket list is complete. I don’t leave anything undone. In 2007 I left my position in finance in Vancouver to travel, work and continue my post-grad education overseas. It was a fantastic three-year break, and I did complete my “bucket list.”

I can honestly say that if this were my last day, there would be nothing I could look back and say, “I wish I could have done that.” That said, I still have plans and goals and dreams, but they are all gravy on top of the stuff I have already done. I hope to add a second book to the one I just finished sometime in the next two years. My “why” is to change the landscape of Canadian financial literacy, and I have some very big plans for that.

5. Random fact about you?

I’m one of 8 children of Caribbean immigrant parents. Get more info here!

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The Incredible Value of Education… True Education

Reading, writing, and arithmetic. The Three Rs have long been accepted as the basics and basis of an education. There’s often a simple thinking process that confuses the system of education for a real education. Often a romanticized collective vision of education pervades the collective consciousness. It’s this efficient process of taking empty vessels and seamlessly filling their brains with knowledge from kindergarten through professional, graduate or trade school.

With the benefit of comfortable classrooms, relatively small class sizes, teachers receiving comfortable pay and benefits, the newest books and finest resources, high speed Internet, computers, tablets, and interactive whiteboards, there should be few reasons holding most of the developed world back from the enjoying the prosperity such a system is capable of creating.

Even with a system that educates, there’s still illiteracy and poverty in our own backyards. Ours is a system that educates yet falls short of communicating the value of an education. It’s testament to these shortcomings when an estimated 60% of kids who drop out of school end up incarcerated. Perfection is a fallacy. Despite the negatives, education systems throughout the developed world deliver positive outcomes: productive, tax-paying citizens.

Consider how the context of “the basics” changes if we call rural Kenya home.

Consider for a moment how the context of “the basics” changes if we call rural Kenya home. Consider how our First World problems like politicking for smaller class sizes, more resources, more comfortable classrooms and state-of-the-art communications infrastructure pale in comparison to not having enough teachers and the reality of issues surrounding personal health, hygiene, and safety.

In rural Kenya, the Three Rs are not the baseline for a basic education.  Somehow dealing with a lack of sanitary conditions trumps pouring over Shakespeare. Imagine putting yourself in the shoes of a ten-year-old school child. Imagine you’re even fortunate enough to call a worn-out pair of flip-flops shoes. Your two feet are the only transportation you know. The two-plus kilometre walk to school or the nearest stream to collect unsafe drinking water is your world. Electricity doesn’t exist. You’re lucky to have a battery-powered transistor radio. There are no light bulbs to study by — that’s if you have time to study after all your chores.

If you’re a young girl, consider yourself fortunate to even go to school. Every day is punctuated by lessons in survival. As a girl you’re expected to manage chores like gathering firewood, cooking, and tending to a small plot of land for growing a crop or two. About once a week you’ll walk to market to sell what’s left over — that’s if anything’s left over.

Most girls in rural Kenya can only afford to get through elementary school before dropping out due to pregnancy, early marriages, and overall poverty-related challenges.  The HIV/AIDS epidemic also has an adverse impact on the family set up, often leaving a significant number of school-age children under the care of grandparents.

Imagine how you experience education when your personal safety is at risk every day. For instance, schools in northeastern Kenya have trouble attracting teachers because of the harsh living conditions, poor infrastructure and constant attacks from Ethiopian militia groups. Yet in spite of this dismal reality, there are positive outcomes. Children want to learn, and they do learn. But the simple math still tells us there are far too few children getting access to the education they need.

Now juxtapose these numbers. According to StatsCan, the total expenditures per student in public elementary and secondary schools averaged $10,678 (current dollars) across Canada in 2007/2008. With $678 less dollars, a school can be built in Kenya that will make a significant difference in the lives of 50 children.

Let’s start seeing beyond our horizon of first world problems, and collectively commit to being true change makers. As actor/activist Martin Sheen powerfully shared at We Day Seattle, “It’s a shame that much of our society knows the price of everything yet knows  the value of nothing.”

Education is the best way to empower people with the tools, knowledge, strength and confidence they need to promote and protect their own rights, growth and self-sufficiency. Education helps families, communities, and even entire nations break the cycle of poverty. - By John Gray

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Melissa Patterson, Mother of 3, Raises $10k for Free The Children!

Melissa Patterson is one of our latest Change Heroes who successfully raised $10,000 for Free The Children with her friends. Melissa (who went to high school with Change Heroes’ founder, Taylor) graduated from UBCO in 2006 with a Bachelor of Education and is now a teacher on call, giving her the freedom to set her own schedule. The youngest of three daughters, she moved to Kelowna with her family in grade 10, and four months after starting high school, met the love of her life. Melissa and Andrew have been together for the last 15 years and married for almost eight years.

“We have been blessed with three beautiful, healthy children,” Melissa tells us. “Joshua is 5 years old, Matthew 3, and Emma is 8 months! I have known since I was very little how blessed I was to have such a wonderful family and the basic necessities in life that a lot of people don’t have. More than anything, I want my children to grow up knowing we are very blessed and want them to have a desire to help others.”

5 Questions with Change Hero, Melissa Patterson

1. How did you hear about Change Heroes, and what inspired you to run a campaign? I graduated from high school with Taylor Conroy so when I heard about Change Heroes, I knew it was something I wanted to do. What an amazing idea… the feeling of completing a campaign cannot be explained. You need to do one yourself! To know exactly where your money is going, and to be able to see a finished school is a great idea! Running a campaign reinforced for me how amazing my family and friends are. They were so supportive of me.

2. Can you recall the first time you gave to a cause? If so, what was your motivation? My first memory is from elementary school when I donated my time. I would go to a nursing home and spend time with seniors. I would read to them or play board games. They were always so happy to see me… it was a great feeling.

It wasn’t until later in my life that I would donate money to a cause. It was always in the back of mind that I wanted to make a difference, but it was one of those things that kept getting pushed to the side. My husband Andrew knew it was something I wanted to do so about five Christmases ago, he sponsored a little girl from World Vision in my name. Her name is Buity, and it was the best Christmas present I have received. Since then we have sponsored two more children through World Vision (one in my neice’s name for a birthday present) and one more through Child of Mine.

3. What movie or TV character do you most identify with? I can’t think of a specific character, but it would have to be someone who spends most of their day cleaning and entertaining kids! Even my real job is around small kids. I just can’t seem to get away from them!

4. If you could glimpse into anyone’s journal, dead or alive, whose would it be? I think I would have to say Mother Teresa. I can’t think of a more amazing woman. I would love to hear about her experiences and the people she met throughout her life.

5. Random fact about you? I have lived in 6 different cities and my dream is to visit the school I helped build! Check out other Change Heroes, and get involved here!

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How Instagram Helped Reanne Derkson Raise $11k to Build a School!

Reanne is originally a prairie girl from Regina, Saskatchewan. In 2008, she moved to the west coast to attend the University of Victoria. She is studying creative and professional writing and plans to graduate in 2013 with a Bachelor in Fine Arts. She currently writes for Live Young & Free, a local online magazine that allows her the freedom to exercise her skills as a writer and supplement her student lifestyle. She is living out her dreams of being a writer everyday, finding inspiration from her family, her travels and her experiences.

7 Questions with Reanne

1. What inspired you to run a Change Heroes campaign? From a really young age, my parents stressed the importance of helping others and we always donated to different charities. Both my mom and dad sponsor children through World Vision and I have always been really inspired by their contributions and efforts to positively influence another person’s life. As well, I have been thinking a lot lately about how fortunate we are to live where we do with opportunity for education and a comfortable lifestyle.

When I met Taylor and heard about what he was doing, it just felt right. I had this really great feeling about it — like this was a way for me to give back and make a difference. I told Taylor, that very night I met him, that I wanted to build a school and a month later, I had my campaign up and running.

2. You had great engagement around your campaign on Facebook — what surprised you the most about people’s reactions? I was actually quite nervous about setting my campaign video free into the world of Facebook. For one, I didn’t know if some people would even click on it or receive it, and secondly, Facebook these days seems to be a major platform for every sort of cause you can think of, and I wanted to make sure mine stood out because obviously, it’s something I am really passionate about.

The reception was better than I could have possibly imagined. I had people calling, texting, emailing, commenting, and clicking the ‘like’ button like you wouldn’t believe. I think people really connected with the idea that small groups of people can influence major change. I had friends share it with friends who shared it with other friends and so on. Even those who weren’t in a position to donate at the time still showed their support through social media and word of mouth, which was really helpful. It is an amazing thing to see so many people from different backgrounds come together to support a cause.

3. You’re the first campaign runner we’ve seen use Instragram as part of their campaign. Can you tell us more about that?  My main strategy for the campaign was to raise awareness about Change Heroes and the good that we can all do. I used as many social media platforms as possible to post about my team of “Heroes” and linked everything back to my page. I use Instagram a lot, so it just seemed obvious to use it as a fundraising tool. I posted Instagram photos like progress reports, using screenshots from my campaign page to show people how much we had raised, how many heroes had donated, etc. Even my brothers got in on it, posting pictures on their own Instagram accounts about the campaign, telling their ‘followers’ to check out the cause and linking it all to my page.

4. What do you want to check off your bucket list in the next 2 years? Well, I’m planning on graduating this summer — so I am definitely looking forward to checking that off my bucket list. After that, my major goal is to save up money and go to Africa on the Change Heroes trip in November. This whole experience has already impacted me so much and I have a feeling I can expect more of that as I continue on this path.

Ultimately, as a writer, my final goal is to write about it all — the entire Change Heroes Journey — and spread the word. As much as I love writing on fashion, food, or entertainment, I’ve always wanted to write about something that really matters on a deeper level, and I think this matters.

5. If you were asked to give a TED Talk, what would you speak about? Oh gawsh, good question! As cliche as it sounds, I think I would probably speak about the importance of reading. Yes, I am a major book nerd, but more than that, I believe that words and language are some of humanity’s greatest tools, communication is essential, and reading promotes growth and development in all of these areas. The benefits of getting lost in a good book are endless — from stress management, to improved analytical thinking. I feel that reading, in the developmental years for children, is the foundation of lifelong learning. In this fast-paced society we are living in, language is getting lost in abbreviated text messages, and pared down to 140 characters on Twitter. Literacy is a gift many of us have been given mainly because of where we were lucky enough to be born and I think it’s important that we cherish that gift.

6. What’s the last great book you read? This is honestly one of the hardest questions anyone could ask me because it’s nearly impossible for me to narrow it down to just one. I’ve read a lot of books that have all changed or inspired or just completely blown my mind in some way, but Chuck Palahniuk is a bit of a guilty pleasure of mine — especially his novel, ‘Invisible Monsters,’ which I have read three times now. Essentially, it is a story about beauty — who values it, what it means, how it can be good and how it can be horrific. The characters suffer both for beauty and because of beauty, which creates this powerful commentary on North American society. Also, it’s written in a way only masters are capable of. It’s literary madness at its finest and I highly recommend reading it at least once (or more, if you’re like me).

7. Is there a motto or quote you live by? “I can do all things through him who gives me strength.” -Philippines 4:13 Check out some of the pictures she posted here!

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Meet Alessia Todde Who Raised $10k to Build A School In Kenya with Friends in 6 Different Countries!

Alessia Todde recently got together with her friends to raise over $10,000 to fund a school in Kenya! Part of the secret to her success was in her bold promotions — among the things she did to spread the word was calling into Virgin Radio in March, resulting in Nat and Drew creating mock ads to promote her Change Heroes campaign!

Alessia, who was born in Italy, moved to the USA when she was 17. After studying and starting her career in the states, she moved to Vancouver with her husband four years ago. She is now a sales manager at RC Pet Products, a job she loves as it allows her to travel and spend time with pets and other animal lovers. As she says, “I try to live life to its fullest, savoring it every minute, embracing adventure and diversity!”

5 Questions with Change Hero Alessia Todde

1. What inspired you to get involved with Change Heroes? My career and ambitions have been driving my life since a very young age. One could say I was living a comfortable and pretty self-centered life, until three years ago when I started a spiritual transformation through reading, meditation and yoga.

I also became passionate about human rights — women’s rights, in particular. After reading Prisoner of Tehran, I had the privilege to meet the author, Marina Nemat, in person. Looking into Marina’s eyes changed my life. When I asked her what I could do to help she said, “Volunteer Alessia. Give back in any way that makes sense to you.” I gave those words a lot of thought… giving was always in me, but I could not find the right outlet to do it.

Two years later, I happened to watch one of Taylor‘s interviews and it was a truly inspiring moment: I knew I was going to build a school in Kenya within minutes of listening to his message.

2. What does the word ‘hero’ mean to you? My definition of hero is someone who is egoless and makes a positive impact on anybody he/she encounters. It can be as simple as a friend who makes you laugh when you’re down, the coworker who brings you lunch, or the stranger who smiles at you on the bus.  No matter what challenges they are facing, heroes make life look effortless and often put others before themselves. Because of their relentless positive attitude and generosity, heroes inspire others to see their glass half-full and the ripple effects of their actions can change the world.

3. If you could invite anyone to Sunday brunch, who would it be? This is a tough question as I tend not to idealize people or things… But after some thought, I would say thatBono of U2 would be a very cool brunch date. I admire his philanthropic work in Africa and I grew up listening to his music.

I would invite him to share a hand-made packed lunch on the grass of Stanley Park, hoping to exchange some relevant thoughts and maybe do some singing!? I know, right, the two of us duetting sounds pretty crazy… but how cool would that be? Well, brunch with Bono seems like a long shot, so for now I look forward to meeting Taylor in person… I know it will be just as special.

4. What fear are you most proud of overcoming? I try not to listen to my fears, although it’s human nature to feel insecure at times. I used to struggle with the fact that I never fit in: I look different, I sound different… at 31-years-old, I don’t really belong to one culture anymore, and that’s ok! I learned to embrace my authenticity, and I surround myself with unique and diverse people. My friends are amazing! I’m proud to say my campaign received donations from at least 6 different countries between Europe, North America and Down Under.

5. What could you talk about all night? I could talk all night about the white beaches of my hometown in Sardinia, the salty taste of the crystal clear Mediterranean Sea, the smell of my mom’s cooking, my sister’s jokes, my nephew’s smiles…

Because I love to make people laugh, I often tell stories about my irreverent, loud family and reminisce about my upbringing. All of my family was involved in the Change Heroes project, and I definitely know my Mamma is proud!

Interested in doing something similar? Check out Change Heroes!

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Meet Raquel Millikin, Who Inspired Her Kids by Raising $10,000 to Build a School in Kenya

Inspired to teach her children about education in the developing world and show them how good it feels to give, Raquel Millikin used the Change Heroes platform to raise over $10,000 to fund a school in Kenya. In the interview below, Raquel shares what she hopes to teach her children, what she’d love to check off her bucket list, her favourite TED Talk, and the motto she lives by.

1. What inspired you to run a Change Heroes campaign?  My kids were the inspiration for running my Change Heroes campaign. My children live a very blessed life and had no idea how other less fortunate children lived. I was getting frustrated by them always wanting and asking for more things and never seeming content with the blessings they already had. I wanted them to see how other children in the world live and how by giving to them and sharing what we have, we could bless their lives.

2. What would you love to teach your children about giving? I want them to know that I truly believe the secret of happiness is serving and giving to others. I believe that until we take the focus off our own lives, we will always feel a void. We think this void can be filled by material things and will always be left wondering why we still feel empty and unsatisfied.

3. If you won a plane ticket to anywhere in the world, where would you go and why?  I would definitely go to Kenya to see the school my friends and I raised money to build. I want to see the little children and their smiles up close and personal. I want to hold the babies in the orphanages and I feel that my life would be changed forever by this experience.

4. What do you want to check off your bucket list in the next 2 years? Two things I’d like to check off my bucket list in the next two years are going to Kenya and selling my house to build a much smaller one.

5. If you landed a book deal tomorrow, what would your book be about? I’d love to write a funny story about my life and the many adventures and lessons I’ve enjoyed.

6. Do you have a favourite TED Talk? There are so many great TED talks. One I enjoyed recently by Dan Pallotta is called “The way we think about charity is dead wrong.” I loved this talk because a lot of people ask if all the money goes directly to the people in need, not knowing that if these wonderful charities used the money in proper channels the money would grow exponentially to help more people!

7. Is there a motto or quote you live by?  I have many, but I love “Worrying is like praying for something you don’t want.” I love it because time and time again, I have seen the power of positive thinking and of course the power of prayer.

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Meet Nic and Tiff Who Raised $11k To Build a School in Kenya With a Global Network of Friends

Thought about running a Change Heroes campaign with a partner? That’s exactly what Nicholii Tickner did with Tiffany Crowe, and together, they rocked their campaign! We had a chance to catch up with them and learn more about what inspired them to run a campaign, as well as discover some random facts about them (both pertaining to animals!)

Six Questions with Nic and Tiff

1. What inspired you to run a Change Heroes campaign? We are both very fortunate to have amazing friends and family who support us in any way they can. We have always had the chance to persue higher education and were extremely fortunate to be supported financially from the countries we come from (Canada and Australia), and find jobs that we could support ourselves with while working on our education. We wanted others to have the gift of education as well and to return the opportunities we have been blessed with in our lives. We also knew that many of our friends have experienced similar upbringings and educational advantages and would jump at the chance to help someone else experience the world-changing opportunities that education provides.

2. You’ve raised over $11,000 with your friends — how does that make you feel? Any surprises? We feel extreme gratiude to our friends and family and an overwhelming sense of community and support from all of our campaign heroes. What surprised us was the support from people we hadn’t heard from in months or years who reached out wanting to help in any way they could. That made the campaign feel even more special — to know that what we had started appealed to others as an honest and sincere project.

3. If you won two plane tickets, where would you go and what would you do there? Hands-down, without a doubt, we would want to fly to Kenya to help build our school and meet the kids we will help to educate! Being a future student and a small business owner, money is tight and Africa is a long way away from both Canada and Australia!

4. If you landed a book deal tomorrow, what would the subject be? Tiff: The subject of my book would be the ego and how it sabotages our ability to find a path in life that makes us truly happy in work, family, relationships and self. Nic: Helping people find, achieve and exceed their limits. I think most people have more hiding inside than they know.

5. Who would play you in a movie about your life? Tiff: Probably Drew Barrymore Nic: I think Woody Harrelson would be a good fit.

6. Random fact about you? Tiff: I once licked a slug for $2.49 as a bet… I was a starving student and did what I had to do! Nic: My last pet was a 9ft python, but cockroaches creep me out.

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Sonam Swarup, Co-Founder of Fusion Kitchen

Proof of age is required for so many things, from learning to drive, ordering alcohol, joining the armed forces, to voting. Choosing to be a change maker, however, is at least one important thing that doesn’t need you to pull out the ID. While still two years away from completing her communication degree at SFU, Sonam Swarup decided co-founding Fusion Kitchen would be the perfect way to top up an already very full life.

Barely 21 years old, Sonam has found a real purpose with Fusion Kitchen. This startup is a social enterprise offering cultural cooking classes in Vancouver. Serving as both a sociable endeavour and a great team-building activity, Fusion Kitchen is gaining momentum. Most importantly, these cooking classes serve as a platform for immigrant women to gain work experience, develop their transferable skill sets, and build their self-confidence to increase their employment opportunities in Canada.

Participating in RADIUS™ , the social innovation lab and venture incubator housed at the Beedie School of Business at Simon Fraser University, she earned the opportunity to help create a business, have a positive impact and continue to grow as a change maker. Want to know more about Sonam? Read the full story here!

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EVERYTHING POSITIVE

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EVERYTHING POSITIVE

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EVERYTHING POSITIVE

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EVERYTHING POSITIVE

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EVERYTHING POSITIVE

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Want to provide education to students in underdeveloped countries with your Tumblr (or real) friends?

Hey there Tumblr-verse.

Between rewatching episodes of Supernatural, crying over the Red Wedding and anxiously awaiting the Doctor Who 50 anniversary special, I was hoping the wonderful people of Tumblr could take the time out to check out our charity called Change Heroes.

Change Heroes is a fundraising platform that helps people raise money with their friends (facebook, Tumblr or real, but unfortunately not fictional – sorry Augustus Walters) to build schools around the world. We are currently affiliated with the wonderful organization Free the Children. We make it easy to raise $10 000 to build a school in Kenya, or a library in South East Asia.

You may be wondering how it works, raising that much money easily seems impossible. It isn’t. The premise of our organization is that you gather a group of roughly 30-40 of your friends, coworkers, church group members, anime aficionados, or Avengers Appreciation meetings members and raise money by micro-giving. Micro-giving is giving a small amount every day, rather than asking for large lump sum donations. So everyone can give up coffee/nutella for a few months, donating that $3.33 to your campaign each day, and in three short months you and your friends have raised enough money to provide an education to students who otherwise wouldn’t have had the opportunity to go to school. It really is that simple. Honest. The more people you recruit, the quicker the money is raised. This might be a great way to finally connect with the Tumblr friends you have around the world. Take this idea to your Global Issues Club at school. Change Heroes is all about spreading the love of learning to as many students as possible. Check out our website at Changeheroes.com or find us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. And of course, follow us on Tumblr (I know, that is totally against the rules of Tumblr to as for follows, but we are a charity so this is an exception)! If you ever have any questions, send me a message here and I will respond asap. So get together your team of wonderful people and give us a shout! ASSEMBLE THE AVENGERS!

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Love quotes you can relate to? Click here =)

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Real Life Change Heroes: Meet Kane & Salomeh, Founders of Lost + Found Cafe

There’s a lot about Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside that can leave you breathless. It’s a community of contrasts — light and dark, good and bad — yet at the same time it’s also a community of great colour and care. There’s no shortage of businesses adding the colour, and there are amazing people showing they care.

One of those new businesses is Lost + Found Cafe (33 W. Hastings St.), and two of those people are the owners, Kane Ryan and Salomeh Jalali. The 2,500 square feet of the old Chelsea Inn (built in 1906) leaves you breathless. The space is massive, and eye candy is everywhere: Kane’s travel photographs, a diverse collection of art both local and from around the world, bookcases full of travel and adventure reading, and a screen on the back wall that plays eye-catching documentaries. The doors to Lost + Found Cafe official opened in early February with the help of the local community.

As Kane shared during our conversation, finding a space for the business they envisioned wasn’t easy. Neither was convincing themselves that bringing a space back to life after 12 years of vacancy would be a worthy undertaking. Calling the original space “sketchy, filthy, and seriously smelly” is also an understatement, yet they still came to believe that the Lost + Found Cafe would become “not just a place to pump out coffee, cinnamon buns and cash, but a place to host events, connect with neighbours, and help build a community.”

Yes the coffee, tea, treats, and food are exceptional — it’s a great cafe! But for Kane and Salomeh, it’s more than that, it’s unquestionably a social enterprise. They enthusiastically point to one very prominent wall: “Our charity section is filled with products from India, Uganda, South Africa, Mexico and Cambodia, all sourced from women’s groups, charities and NGOs. The proceeds from these items go directly to the Dirty Wall Project Foundation. The money raised will benefit our current projects and families in India and give us the opportunity to begin helping locally right here in the Downtown Eastside”

This is a couple not lacking for passion and vision.

“With such a large space, we want to start by giving other charities currently working in the area a venue to raise funds and awareness by holding events at Lost + Found,” Kane says. “We will also be hosting for-profit events ranging from photography exhibitions and music nights a couple times a month. The back half of the space will be a forever changing gallery for local artists to showcase their talent.”

Ultimately we talked about living everyday with a sense of purpose. Here are a few things that make Kane and Salomeh tick:

“You don’t have to be UNICEF or Red Cross, because it’s amazing how a couple of people can essentially make an impact.”

To Give: “We have the opportunity [to give]. We feel that having privilege means we should be giving back. Plus it can help in overcoming the bad and grumpy days.”

For $5,000 a year, Kane and Salomeh keep a small school operating and help educate and improve the lives of 100 kids. Kane committed to giving 100% of the funds raised when he started The Dirty Wall Project four years ago. “Expensing an airfare or other expenses is unthinkable, when that $1,500 can do so much more.”

To Help: Kane shared that seeing his parents, who work in the restaurant business, always helping others was a key influence on him growing up. The new neighborhood has also shown how helping matters. As Kane says, “The DTES isn’t the worst place in Vancouver when you see how many people want to give you a hand for nothing in return.”

Random Facts: Kane’s a bit “narcoleptic,” and “can sleep anywhere, any time, thanks to spending so much time in planes, trains, terminals, stations, and parks.” He also defines home not as a physical place (city), but that “home will be wherever he is with Salomeh.” Home is a place of the mind and spirit.

Sources of Inspiration: The “book of travel” has been their inspiration. Seeing so many different places, and connecting with some many different and diverse people has delivered a multitude of defining experiences. They live everyday with the notion, “if you have food in your fridge, clothes on you back, a roof over your head, and a place to sleep, you are richer than 75% of the world.”

The Lost + Found Cafe adds more colour to a neighbourhood too often disparaged for its darker side. But enjoying a conversation over coffee with two people who have humility beyond reproach shows how fortunate this community is. Real change makers are people with living purpose. Post Written by John Grey