Brianna Sanders-Young started working with children when she was 10yrs old by doing a toy drive in the Middle School of her town in Oregon. She was able to give Toys For Tots over 200 toys that year. She runs this toy drive every year. In 2002, Briana received the Miss Oregon Volunteer Awards for her work with various charities.
In 2005, while watching news about the victims of Hurrican Katrina, Brianna decided she needed to do something to help. She spent 24 hours "living as a victim" on the side of the highway, to bring awareness of what the families were going through. She raised $500, and received many hugs from passerbys. Brianna also produced a variety show that was a hit.
In 2007 Brianna traveled to India where she saw first hand the thousands of children living on the streets, with no parents, being sold into labor and brothels, and being abused. She filmed a short documentary on this problem, and bringing to light how young people can help. In November of 2007, she produced another variety show to raise funds for supplies for a girls home in Jaipur, India that takes in girls from the streets.
Then in June of 2008, Brianna produced a play written by her mother and younger sister, about an India Orphange. The cast were all local children and was a hit.
Brianna is now a junior in high school and is planning on returning to India the summer of 2010 to film a full length documentary on the lives of the children living on the street.
She plans on studying New Media Communications and International Studies in College, so that she can travel the world, helping those who cannot help themselves. Brianna's dream is to eventually work with the United Nations, as well as to travel the world and document the lives of children through photojournalism.
Brianna Sanders-Young, Founder