About

Kyndfulness for Kids

Youth Volunteering

It is hard to find volunteer opportunities for kids. We created Kyndfulness for Kids so families would have an easy, meaningful and social way to get involved in volunteering. These wellness experiences are specifically designed with all ages in mind and are available year-round as a way to make volunteering a part of your family values.

Youth Advisory Council

The Youth Advisory Council is a service-learning and leadership development group made up of outstanding high school students from local schools that provides a unique opportunity for students who want to get involved with a community non-profit focused on mental wellness. These students contribute to and inform Kyndfulness for Kids programming while acting as ambassadors and leaders in the community. The intention is for the YAC to expand and include youth within the elementary and middle school age range.

Youth Mental Health

“Research has shown that teens who engage in community service are more responsible with higher self-esteem and resilience. Volunteering helps the teens gain new skills necessary for the job market such as leadership, communication skills, dependability, time management, and decision making. Teens who volunteer perform better at school and also build a stronger resume for college and scholarship applications.” – Shobha Bhaskar, MD

Read More

Definitions

Kyndfulness: A daily practice using volunteering, intentional acts of kindness, and gratitude to bring awareness to the impact you make on others and the positive mental state created by serving others.

Mental Wellness: When a person experiences a stable, positive, content mood and emotional state or  “a state of well-being in which the individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to his or her community” (World Health Organization).

Youth Advisory Council

Current Members

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Shawna Walton

Shawna Walton

Research Chair

I am Shawna Walton and I want to be able to help the ones in need. I want to be a teacher and a soci

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Abigail Strickland

Abigail Strickland

Secretary -Membership Committee Member

I was born in Florida but moved to Colorado when I was 5. I have a younger sister and two younger br

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Codie Shotton

Codie Shotton

Marketing/Social Chair

I am Codie. I am an amazing wise soul that cares for a lot of things. I am artistic and enjoy nature

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Amy Chen

Amy Chen

Membership Committee Chair

Hi, I'm Amy Chen and I will soon be a senior in high school. I love getting involved in volunteer ac

team

Rylie Kruger

Rylie Kruger

Communications Committee Member

I’m Rylie Kruger, and I go to elevate. I play volleyball and I’m so excited to help people throu

team

Kate Erickson

Kate Erickson

Committee TBD

I've always had a love for public service. From a very young age, my parents instilled the belief in

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Morgan Pauly

Morgan Pauly

Committee TBD

I will be a junior in high school and am in my high school's marching band. I am involved in numerou

Shawna Walton

Research Chair

I am Shawna Walton and I want to be able to help the ones in need. I want to be a teacher and a social worker when I am older. I am also in the Bear Creek High School Marching Band and play the clarinet.

  • Bear Creek High School Junior
team

Abigail Strickland

Secretary -Membership Committee Member

I was born in Florida but moved to Colorado when I was 5. I have a younger sister and two younger brothers along with a cat and a dog. I'm a bit competitive and I'm on the swim team and the track team at school. Volunteering is important to me because I love the feeling of being a part of something bigger than myself and Project Helping helps me feel that.

  • Thunderridge High School Junior
team

Codie Shotton

Marketing/Social Chair

I am Codie. I am an amazing wise soul that cares for a lot of things. I am artistic and enjoy nature and painting and drawing. I love talking with people and being around people.

  • Arapahoe High School Senior
team

Amy Chen

Membership Committee Chair

Hi, I'm Amy Chen and I will soon be a senior in high school. I love getting involved in volunteer activities and making a positive impact in other's lives. Some of my favorite volunteer opportunities so far are the one that I have done with the community, and especially those that involve kids such as volunteering at the library, elementary schools, and more!

  • Thunderridge High School Senior
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Rylie Kruger

Communications Committee Member

I’m Rylie Kruger, and I go to elevate. I play volleyball and I’m so excited to help people through the Youth Advisory Council!

  • Elevate High School Freshman
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Kate Erickson

Committee TBD

I've always had a love for public service. From a very young age, my parents instilled the belief in me that showing compassion to others, especially those in need, is necessary for creating a strong community. I am very excited to become a Kynd leader because I love making new friends and making the world a better place with them! Outside of my volunteer work, I am also involved with many other activities. I am a member of my school's debate team, plant club, library, and varsity tennis team, as well as participating in youth government. My hobbies include reading, writing, gardening, photography, hanging out with friends, and of course, volunteering! 🙂

  • Cherry Creek High School Sophomore
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Morgan Pauly

Committee TBD

I will be a junior in high school and am in my high school's marching band. I am involved in numerous school clubs and athletics including NHS and Swim. I love spending time outdoors with my family and friends.

  • Horizon High School Junior
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Former Members

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Tracy Huyhn

Tracy Huyhn

YAC Chair and Marketing/Social Chair

I come from a family of four and a big extended family. My passions include makeup, fashion, and hel

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Tanner Thomas

Tanner Thomas

Membership Chair

I love exploring and going on adventures to new places. My passions include skiing, snowboarding, sw

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Silvana Cano

Silvana Cano

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Chair

I love music and theater as well as Biology. I can speak Spanish, English and French. I was born and

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Jada Green

Jada Green

Research Committee Member

I am shy at first but once we start talking I am a very respectful and nice person to be around. I l

Tracy Huyhn

YAC Chair and Marketing/Social Chair

I come from a family of four and a big extended family. My passions include makeup, fashion, and helping others. On a daily basis, I love to laugh with my friends and go on fun adventures. Also, it's always a good day when you're surrounded by fuzzy blankets watching a Netflix show eating ice cream 🙂

  • Thunderridge High School 2019 Graduate! CU Boulder
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Tanner Thomas

Membership Chair

I love exploring and going on adventures to new places. My passions include skiing, snowboarding, swimming, hiking, drawing, watching good movies and running with my best friend: my dog. I’m involved with Project Helping to be more involved, to support the mental wellness of others and myself, and to create a sense of purpose in helping something that is bigger than me.

  • Lakewood High School 2019 Graduate! Attending Bowdoin (Brunswick, Maine)
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Silvana Cano

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Chair

I love music and theater as well as Biology. I can speak Spanish, English and French. I was born and raised in Bogotá, Colombia. I love dancing and sketching.

  • Thunderridge High School 2019 Graduate! CO State University
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Jada Green

Research Committee Member

I am shy at first but once we start talking I am a very respectful and nice person to be around. I love to read, write, and be there for others when they need me. I am very kind and a great listener so if you need anything or if you just want to talk I am here for you.

  • Aurora Central High School 2019 Graduate! CU Denver
team
Kyndfulness

Get Started

Intro

Click one of the boxes immediately above to find the best wellness experience for you, find mental health resources relevant to youth and families, or to read the fun and exciting blogs written for and by youth.

Volunteer

Every volunteer experience is designed to be fun, flexible and meaningful for families. We will work as a team with other families. Together, we will make a great impact on the community and also learn about practicing Kyndfulness as a family. We will provide simple, effective tools to make it easy for families to integrate kyndfulness into their routines. These volunteer projects are meant to make the hardest part – finding and signing up for volunteer events – simple and fun.

Check out the calendar below.

Guided Resources

When youth and families engage in acts of kyndness and wellness opportunities they get much more than a superficial high. Science has proven that these activities can help youth in much deeper, long-lasting ways. Please see our Guided Resources section to learn more about the science behind youth volunteering or to find resources about specific mental health concerns that our Youth Advisory Council felt were most relevant for them and their peers

Go To Guided Resources Tool

Youth Blogs

Once per month our Director or a member of Youth Advisory Council are tasked with creating a blog that is relevant to the mission of Project Helping and to the youth that we serve through Kyndfulness for Kids. Please click above to learn more about the issues that matter most to youth, such as insecurities about volunteering, becoming a Kynd Leader, the Youth Advisory Council, and the many mental wellness areas that are most concerning among youth ages 5-17.

Go To Current Blogs

Lauren

Volunteer

Jon

Volunteer

Medhini & Olivia

Volunteers

It has been so long since I volunteered and Project Helping made it so easy to volunteer. The experience was so seamless and easy – great job!

I have been exploring your website since I got home. The video of Jaclyn’s story and the blog posts … So many feels (and tears)! Long story short – I’ve been struggling with depression myself, and a depression skills class on behavior activation brought me to volunteering.

Your mission statement feels true to my core, and I feel so aligned with what you’re doing.

Stephanie

Volunteer

It is very difficult to find events with solid communication and a variety of events that have a variety of activities to do, but Project Helping clearly has both those aspects and more covered and with seeming ease. The event leaders were amazing and the event was coordinated beautifully. Project Helping an awesome organization and they truly helped/made me feel like I actually made a difference so thank you and keep doing what you’re doing!

Theresa

Volunteer

I personally used to struggle with anxiety and depression so your mission is very relevant to my life. I felt that even this small event helped me find purpose to my city and gave a peace of mind, which is rare…I left the event with optimism and happiness 🙂

Makenna

Volunteer

Something easy that anyone can just jump in and start helping! I felt as if as I was helping to fill their bellies with food, my heart was filled with gratitude. <3

Shaelyn

Volunteer

I benefitted from the event most by just feeling better about myself. I love helping people and this event gave me a chance to do that. It also gave me a chance to be with other people and have a good time not worrying about all the little things I worry about.

Project Helping

Terry

Volunteer

It was a wonderful experience. I didn’t know anyone else in the group and everyone was wonderful. I loved volunteering in the morning because it set the tone for the rest of my day.

Project Helping

Annie

Volunteer

I often sign up for Project Helping events, but then my social anxiety kicks in and I try to talk myself out of going. But then I remind myself how amazing I am going to feel when we are done. Even on my lowest day, I always feel more optimistic and confident after a Project Helping event.

Project Helping

Heidi

Volunteer

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