National Honoree

Melissa Monette, 16, of Mililani, Hawaii, a junior at Mililani High School, founded a nonprofit organization that has provided more than 13,000 pounds of fresh produce and canned goods to low-income senior citizens and homeless people over the past two years. Melissa became aware of poverty in her community by participating in church, school, and Girl Scout programs to aid the needy. But the problem really hit home when her own grandmother turned to a food pantry for help and was denied because she was not homeless. "It is very difficult and traumatic for (seniors) when they get turned away from nonprofit agencies distributing food because they are not poor enough to qualify," said Melissa. After identifying places where low-income seniors live, Melissa arranged for staff members at local agencies to help deliver the food she would collect. Then she began looking for food donations. She asked hundreds of homeowners if she could harvest their fruit trees and vegetable gardens; sent fliers to farms and supermarkets; asked schools and churches to sponsor canned-food drives; made presentations at neighborhood board meetings; and set up a website. Melissa recruited fellow students to help her collect and deliver the donations, and to develop a senior-citizen exercise program in conjunction with her food charity. "All it takes is one individual to provide the spark, and the power of one becomes the power of many," said Melissa.