Kids4Community was founded by young community organizer Kenan Pala with the help of friends and family. Kenan’s primary goal was to encourage other children his age and younger (like his brother) to get involved in their communities. Kenan’s first major charitable project was setting the Guinness World Record for largest mosaic created using cardboard boxes in 2016. Together, he and his fellow students did a food drive to collect cereal boxes and then put them together to set a record that is officially recognized by Guinness using cereal boxes destined for a local food bank.
The world record was fun for the students involved and allowed Kenan to engage with his fellow students for the project efficiently. They were motivated not only by chance to set a world record but also by the idea of helping those in need. It is these types of activities that we hope to implement with Kids4Communities to get more children and families interested in charitable work.
Top Volunteer Award for Middle Schoolers in California and President’s Volunteer Service Award
Middle-Level State Honoree: Kenan Pala Nominated by Francis Parker Middle School in San Diego. Kenan, a seventh-grader at Francis Parker Middle School, launched an initiative to benefit homeless people by raising money for local shelters, coordinating meals each quarter at shelter kitchens, and organizing a record-setting cereal donation event.