Meet Karma for Cara microgrant recipient Jahkil (11) from Chicago, IL. Jahkil was inspired to make an impact on the world at the age of 5 after helping his aunt distribute food to the homeless and immediately knew he wanted to do more in that effort. Since 2016 Jahkil & his nonprofit Project I Am have distributed over 25,000 Blessing Bags containing toiletry items, healthy snacks and other essential items to those in need in Chicago, LA, Atlanta, Washington DC, Tulsa, OK, Virginia & Idaho. “I hope to show people who are overlooked that they are loved and that people care.” He also realizes the importance of educating those who are more fortunate that homeless people are people, too. Jahkil is a motivational speaker & has shared his stories with countless youth in Chicago, Oklahoma, Wisconsin, New York, Atlanta and LA.
- What inspired you to start this project?
Seeing homeless people on the streets every day in Chicago made me very sad so I decided I wanted to help. I began creating blessing bags filled with toiletries and later began to do a school supply drive for youth in need in my city.
2. Other than you, how many student volunteers participated in your service project? 25
3. Other than you, how many adult volunteers participated in your service project? 5
4. How many hours did you spend on your project? 10
5. How many hours did other volunteers spend on your project? 5
6. How many individuals were affected by your project? 200
7. During the time period between when you applied for a K4C microgrant & when you completed the project, what surprised you?
What surprised me was the overwhelming support from the staff at the center. Also the feedback I received from the students who received the donations, they were so excited.
8. Overall what did you learn from this experience?
I learned techniques to help kids feel comfortable with working with adults. Sometimes we are intimidated and just want adults to listen to us instead of cutting us off. It happens to me a lot since I am a kid, but working through this on a daily basis has been great for me.
9. How will your project continue having an impact in the future?
My project has impact in the future because the kids who received the donations will be able to use the supplies provided for months and months. The inspiration that was provided in the bag will help them understand that they are great and can be anything that they want to be!
10. How was the K4C microgrant helpful in the completion of your project?
The K4C microgrant helped with purchasing supplies needed for completing the back to school bags complete with folders, pens, pencils, erasers, rulers, water bottles and inspirational workbooks.
