Spotlight on Freddi Zeiler

When I was 14 years old, I learned how to give back to the world; though, I had been performing acts of charity my whole life without realizing it.

Around Christmastime, we’d give away our old toys or pick up trash on the ground when walking through our hometown in the mountains of Topanga Canyon, California. I’d also help with a charity fundraiser at my school. But, the year I turned age 14 was when I truly found out what “charity” meant. Like most kids I knew, I received an allowance every week— and I usually spent most of it on candy or movie tickets. But something changed one week. I was watching the news with my parents, and it occurred to me: Most people in the world have so much less than I do. It didn’t seem fair to me that just because they were born in a different place, they didn’t have enough food or clothes, and couldn’t afford to go to school. I realized how incredibly lucky I was, and couldn’t forget about those other kids. That day, I didn’t just walk away from the television and forget about other people’s problems. I decided that I wanted to help. I made a commitment to start donating some of my pocket money to a cause that I cared about.

What I didn’t realize, however, was that there are so many wonderful charity organizations in the world, and literally thousands of different causes— each one important in its own right. How would I know which cause was for me? Determining that was the hard part, but I liked the challenge. I sat down on the computer and researched everything I could find from all types of charities, whether they helped people, animals or the environment. Pretty soon I had list of questions that I wanted to ask each charity that I liked, so I started emailing and calling the different organizations. Eventually, I had gathered information from more than 100 charities!

I finally decided to donate my money to Save the Children, because helping other children really meant something to me. Through this charity, I could donate a certain amount of money every month to a specific kid, and I’d receive letters telling me how my donation was helping him or her. My sponsored child was named Myrlene, and she was about 5 years old. Because of me, Myrlene was able to eat every day, have roof over her head and go to school. She got to enjoy the things I used to take for granted. Making a difference in her life made me so happy.

Although I settled on one organization, I didn’t want to forget those other wonderful organizations. I started compiling information about them in a book, allowing kids like me not to go through all the trouble that I did in finding an organization to help. That way, I thought, more kids would be encouraged to donate, because I made the process easier for them. I didn’t just want to give. I wanted others to know that they could do it too. As kids, we sometimes forget that we have the power to make a difference. Just because you can’t vote, doesn’t mean you can’t change the world we live in, no matter how small the change.

I discovered that lesson for myself, and wrote A Kid’s Guide to Giving (Innovative Kids) to share that message with others like me— kids who want to help, but don’t know exactly where to start. I want my book to teach kids how to give— not just money, but time as well— and to help kids realize that making the world a little better is in their power. It took me seven years to get the book published; yet, my dream of bringing this lesson to other kids finally came true this fall thanks to a wonderful organization called By Kids For Kids (BKFK). BKFK found out about my project and gave me the resources to make it happen. Now, A Kid’s Guide to Giving is in bookstores across the country! BKFK can help all kids turn their ideas into a reality. I encourage all creative and innovative kids to visit the Web site, www.bkfk.com.

I’m now 21 years old, and giving will always be a huge part of my life. When I can spare time or money, I do. I volunteer for Habitat for Humanity some weekends, where I build houses for underprivileged families, or go on walks in my neighborhood to pick up trash. I do what I can, and I want to continue to encourage others to do the same. So now you know: You have the power. Use it! Find a cause you are passionate about, whether it be protecting an endangered species or saving the rainforests. Even the smallest contribution can make the biggest difference.