Karma for Cara Microgrants help fund exceptional service projects led by youth 18 and under working to better their communities. Read about our microgrant recipient, Joe, a mentor and tutor who organized the creation of a new library at the Carver Community Center.

1. What inspired you to volunteer at the Carver Community Center?

As a sophomore, I decided to participate in the community service program at my school. Ever since, I have absolutely loved mentoring and tutoring our young scholars in the program;…

Karma for Cara Microgrants help fund exceptional service projects led by youth 18 and under working to better their communities. Read about our microgrant recipient, Riley, a 15-year-old who started Rainbow Pack, an organization that distributes new backpacks full of homework supplies to students throughout the Los Angeles area. 

1.  How did you become involved with Rainbow Pack?

I am the founder of Rainbow Pack. I started Rainbow Pack 5 years ago, at 10 years old, after a school field trip to a local elementary school….

Karma for Cara Microgrants help fund exceptional service projects led by youth 18 and under working to better their communities. Read about our microgrant recipient, Katie, who recruits and trains high school trumpet players to play Taps at military veterans funerals.

1. How did you become involved with Youth Trumpet & Taps Corps?

I founded the Youth Trumpet & Taps Corps for my Girl Scout Gold Award project in 2014. Since earning my Gold Award, I decided to take the project nationwide and get high school trumpet players across the country to join me in honoring our nation’s heroes….

On Friday, November 13, Karma for Cara held “A Night of Inspiration,” a small fundraiser for family and friends, including some of Karma for Cara’s biggest supporters.

As the sun set on the Caves Valley Golf Club in Owings Mills, Maryland, the guests arrived for a cocktail hour in an atmosphere full of love and warmth. The main attraction, however, took place once guests were seated for dinner.

We invited two young musicians from From the Top, an organization fostering amazing classical music talent and community service, to play and three of our youth microgrant recipients to speak….

Karma for Cara Microgrants help fund exceptional service projects led by youth 18 and under working to better their communities. Read about our microgrant recipient, Zach, a 10-year-old who started Lidz for Kidz, which donates hats and puts on movie and pizza parties for children undergoing cancer treatment at a variety of children’s hospitals.

1. What inspired you to start Lidz for Kidz?

I saw a couple of St. Jude’s commercials on TV and they made me feel bad for the kids who were battling cancer.  …

On October 28, Eric and Jill Becker presented two Excellence in Nursing Awards to deserving individuals.

This year’s recipients were Sharon Thompson, RN, BSN, OCN and Cynae Alonia Johnson, CRNP, PhD nursing candidate. Both are nurses for the Kelly Gynecologic Oncology Service at Johns Hopkins.

Sharon has worked as an oncology nurse at Hopkins for more than 25 years, with most of that time as the head chemotherapy nurse in the Kelly Gynecologic Oncology Service. She is loved by her patients and peers alike….

Last month, two wonderful women, Liz Dannenberg and Lucy Hess, hosted a fundraiser for Karma for Cara at Chicago’s Athleta on Oak Street. Liz, a leukemia survivor, wanted to raise money to give back to those also affected by cancer. All of the proceeds from that event have been directed to our cancer patient care and comfort programs.

Last week we received the news that Liz’s cancer has returned. She now needs a bone marrow transplant and is looking for a match….

Karma for Cara Microgrants help fund exceptional service projects led by youth 18 and under working to better their communities. Read about our microgrant recipient, Cameron, an 8-year-old who created an anti-bullying group.

1. What inspired you to start Cameron’s Anti-Bully Campaign?

It started when I got in trouble for bullying a boy at school. He had a doll and I thought it was funny, so I teased him. Afterward, I felt really bad and decided that I could help make him fell better by starting an Anti-Bully Club at school….

Last fall, the Beckers had an idea. Thanksgiving was fast approaching, and the Beckers already planned on having many family members and friends over to celebrate the holiday.

As a family with a long history of volunteering, they decided they wanted to add something new to their Thanksgiving celebration—something to really capture the spirit of the day and make the holiday more meaningful. They decided to add an element of giving back to the festivities.

Before dinner, the group gathered around long tables full of supplies and packed bags of toiletries and other goods for people at a shelter….

The Karma for Cara Club at Baltimore’s Bryn Mawr School recently raised money during the school’s harvest festival.

The girls got creative, making Cara-Mels and Cara-Mel apples to sell at the festival, along with hair accessories.

The items were a hit, and the club raised $200. The money will be donated to the Kimmel Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins Hospital.

Way to go, girls!

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