60 for 60 stories
As part of our celebrations for his 60th birthday, you helped us give President Obama the best gift: Your story.
By volunteering with The Faith Community of Saint Sabina distributing COVID protection kits , packaging food for food giveaways, helping to deliver over 5,000 Grow your own Groceries kits to Chicago area schools, collaborating on the Black on Black Love Community Garden at 86th and Carpenter, working on outreach for the Stein Learning Gardens at Saint Sabina to raise awareness for the Gardens and for the problem of Food Inequity in Auburn Gresham and participating on Friday Night Peace Walks to show support for the community and to share information on resources for community members. Happy 60th President Obama! —Richard K. Chicago, Illinois, USA
I am a Nurse Vietnam Veteran and a retired nurse psychotherapist. I’m still serving my community of veterans by leading a healing circle on Zoom for women veterans who were sexually assaulted in the military. —Sarah B. Auburn, Washington, USA
Happy Birthday Mr. President! Wishing you many blessings! In the area of Chubbtown, an underserved rural community in Cave Spring, GA 14th district, I've launched projects for better Broadband, litter cleanup campaigns, and assisted with resolving ongoing power outages. —Danielle B. Chubbtown, Georgia, USA
During the pandemic, my toddler and I walked around our urban neighborhood picking up garbage. I also recruited other moms of toddlers to send postcards to get out the vote. I wrote letters and sent postcards to Georgians who had recently turned 18, and I made phone calls making sure formerly incarcerated people and other frequently disenfranchised people knew what they needed to do to vote. —Andrea W. Boston, Massachusetts, USA
This week, my creative and passionate team kicked off a collaboration with Maryland State to educate and vaccinate some of the most marginalized communities in Maryland by training trusted messengers such as barber shop and salon owners, faith leaders, community health workers and others to share accurate info, bust myths and increase confidence in the COVID vaccine. We succeeded in getting many to accept the shots with our informed and compassionate approach! Proud to give greater access to Black and Brown communities as we work to end COVID-19. Happy Birthday, President Obama! —Celeste J. Takoma Park, Maryland, USA
Throughout the pandemic, I have been able to enroll 60 teenage mothers back to school through my program "resurrecting the dead dreams for teenage mothers"in Kenya. I feel this is a wonderful way to celebrate Barack Obama's 60th birthday. 60 years, 60 resurrected dreams of teenage mothers in Kenya. —Purity G. Kenya
Minneapolis Parks & Rec put out the word that lots of kids don’t have proper swimsuits at the city’s community pools, particularly swim trunks for boys. So far I have purchased and delivered 32 trunks to Webber Natural Swimming Pool and North Commons Water Park. I really enjoy making this direct gift so the guys can cool off and have fun this summer. —Kathy W. Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
During the pandemic, I started baking challah and giving it away in exchange for a donation to a local organization I care about. Each month I chose a different nonprofit- the local Humane Association, the local Jewish Family Services, Free Hearts Fines and Funds, which pays off fines and fees to restore voting rights, to name a few. I called it Challah for a Cause and raised thousands of dollars just by baking bread from my home! —Abby S. Nashville, Tennessee, USA
I am 19-years-old and my sister, Emma, is 15-years-old. Eleven years ago at ages 8 and 5 we started our own foundation, The Eimers Foundation. We help the homeless and hungry, both human and furry, in Detroit, Michigan, and the surrounding communities. We call what we do Sharing and those we help, our Friends. We have raised over $100,000 and spent it all on our Friends. They have become part of our family. Thank you for all you do and for helping us to stay inspired! Happy Birthday President Obama! —Robby and Emma E. Macomb, Michigan, USA
As one of the original Sea Angel's Brazil Institute’s founders, I’ve been working hard for the last 12 months to save whales, turtles, and dolphins from illegal fishing nets south of Brazil. We want to make sure future generations can see marine wildlife for themselves, not just in textbooks. A virtual big hug and Happy Birthday from Brazil Mr. Obama! We appreciate your efforts to help on climate change and environmental protection issues during your time in the White House. —Marcelo U. Brazil
Due to the recent unrest happening in South Africa and subsequent looting, myself and a large group of volunteers have given back to our communities by cleaning up a few malls. We cleaned up our Walter Sisulu Square in Kliptown— a dedication to where our freedom charter was signed. We are currently assisting nine businesses that had no insurance and lost everything by getting their businesses up and running and ready to trade again. All this will be done in 60 days. Happy birthday President Obama! —Chriszelda S. South Africa
When the pandemic first hit and masks were hard to come by, I sewed and donated over 500 cloth masks to schools, retirement homes, and individuals. Then I pivoted to helping people secure vaccine appointments online, and I even helped direct traffic at a community health vaccine location in an underserved area. —Laurel H. Kirkland, Washington, USA
My sister, Christelle, and I launched The Knitting Sisters Project (KSP) in May of this year, however, we had planned to launch it earlier but COVID-19 protocols delayed us. KSP aims to empower marginalized teenage mothers in Kigali, Rwanda, by training them in the skill of hand knitting and other economic and social development courses like business and finance literacy, women rights, fight against gender based violence and offering them a safe space for mental health discussions and awareness. —Delphine U. Rwanda
I’ve spent 60 minutes multiple times socializing and petting homeless dogs at the Placer County SPCA. These dogs after receiving medical care, healthy food and loving go on to be blessings in their new families! It is rewarding work and lots of fun to meet so many dogs. The dogs and I wish President Obama a very Happy Birthday and his best year yet! —Kathy B. Citrus Heights, California, USA
Giving back to the community is so important. When the pandemic began, all activities at church shut down, including the weekly Soul Line Dancing exercise class. That didn’t stop us, though. We began hosting classes via Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. Now we have weekly outdoor classes at a park. This has been a fun way to connect with people in the community and burn calories in the process. —Cheryl P. Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, USA
My niece and I stayed up late one night making handkerchiefs for the local nursing home residents. She wanted to be the one to give them to the nurses. —Nene H. Port Gibson, Mississippi, USA
I am passionate about environmental protection and climate change. We engage the community where charcoal burning is rampant to move away from charcoal business and replace it with sustainable gardening and goat rearing. —Felix S. Zambia
My daughter and I committed to eating lunch each weekday at a variety of small food establishments, especially those run by small families or individuals. We enjoyed the food and their commitment to their craft. And it feels good to give them the income to help stay open. —Lisa T. Honolulu, Hawaiʻi, USA
My husband and I love to volunteer our time with Feeding with LOVE Food Pantry in New Bern, North Caroline every second Thursday of the month. Every third Thursday of the month we fill boxes and deliver them to families that don't have transportation to pick up their food boxes. We make sure that the boxes we provide last families an entire month. —Lindell D. Vanceboro, North Carolina, USA
From the Gambia, West Africa and currently studying in Russia. When the lockdown started I joined the local youth volunteer team in distribution of face masks and also helped with food drives by joining the local government volunteer team. —Bakary S. Russia