Darren loves his kids more than everything. He has four children, two boys and two girls. Their family has never needed assistance before, but the COVID-19 pandemic has held up his work as a landscaper. Through Feed the Children's assistance, his kids now have the school supplies they need, and new backpacks for the upcoming year.

Maluan Lesiapadei is a young mother in Kenya. She and her three children have struggled in the past to meet their basic needs. But Maluan has determination. She's focused on helping her children achieve their dreams, and through Feed the Children's VSL program, she's changing her whole community.

Mandy's biggest hope for her son is that he doesn't lose his kindness. She wants Mitchell to have an easier life than she's had, and to live in a world where his differences don't define him. And she hopes that he always remembers her advice: "Be kind, be sweet, be caring, be giving, because people aren't like that with you because you're different, so be that way with them. Teach them how to be better."

Daisy's story is one of hope, but that hope wasn't guaranteed. In her first year of life, Daisy suffered from malnutrition, which is a severe problem in Uganda. Her health declined steadily, starting with a bad cough and progressing to appetite suppression and weight loss. There was a very real risk that, like so many other Ugandan children, she would not have survived her first two years.

"I believe in my heart, and I've always believed this, that everybody that comes through that door and everybody we go out the door to serve, we need to treat them with dignity and respect, and the whole community adheres to that, they know that's what we're about, and I love it, man."

It takes all of us working together to make a difference. But how do we ensure that the values of generosity and caring become an innate part of people's lives? Teaching kids about the impact of volunteering is a great way to help them learn about how they can shape the world.

DeeDee lives in an unsafe neighborhood with her three children. Her youngest was born with a disability that requires surgical correction. It's tough for DeeDee to balance her time between work, childcare, and medical appointments. No matter how hard she works, things fall through the cracks.