By Lulu Abdun, Summer Programs Associate at Volunteer Odyssey

We want to tell you about a very special student we just met.

Volunteer Odyssey hosted a day at Lausanne Collegiate School’s Social Entrepreneurship Camp for high school age students. Seven different presenters spoke about the organizations they founded and how their work makes an impact. These organizations include Operation Broken Silence, Links of Luv, Lucy J’s Bakery, Ekata Designs, Women of Hope International, Volunteer Odyssey, and Forever Ready Productions.

Students at the Camp had a wide array of passions ranging from bringing technology to the less fortunate, building innovative inventions, and  sharing the art of music with others. Although each student’s passion was unique, a similar theme resonated with all of them: helping others.

Each presenter talked implicitly about this theme too. However, the story of one individual in the room that day can give everyday people like you and me an incentive to help others.

Tracy from Dorothy Day House spoke about her budding business called Lucy J’s Bakery. This unique bakery will provide homeless families who live at Dorothy Day House a place to work, people to write references for future jobs, a living—not minimum—wage, team building skills, and so much more. Tracy told the students at the Camp about this budding business and gave them a special treat: mini cupcakes from Lucy J’s. As Tracy passed around the tray of cupcakes, she told the students that one cupcake had a surprise on the bottom, and with that surprise one could do what he or she pleased.

As students reached for a cupcake, one lucky fellow, Naseem Dove, picked up the “special cupcake”. Below this delicious treat, a folded green paper appeared. Unfolded emerged a ten-dollar bill. The generous student told us that he wanted to donate his newly-found ten-dollar bill back to Dorothy Day House. When we think back to this theme of helping others, this act of generosity represents the idea of helping others and giving back.

Pay it forward. Start here.