Mom outfits 110 needy newborns for a year
Oakland, California

After mobilizing to provide needed baby clothes to survivors of Hurricane Katrina, Lisa Klein was inspired to start her own nonprofit, Loved Twice, which provides baby clothes to mothers in need in the San Francisco Bay Area. On Make A Difference Day, Lisa organized 45 volunteers to pack 400 pounds of clothes and deliver them to a hospital, on top of 700 pounds delivered earlier that week. All told, that will clothe 110 infants for a year.

McDonald’s serves up a supersized day of doing good
Auburn, Maine

On October 23, Rinck Advertising’s Kevin Mitchell and Laura Davis, along with Maine McDonald’s owners and operators, staged five projects statewide. Each project served a nonprofit funded by Ronald McDonald Houses of Maine, Rinck’s pro-bono client, and included tasks like repairing docks at a camp for kids with disabilities, washing windows and baking casseroles at two Ronald McDonald Houses.

Eagle Scout soars to the aid of others
Allen, Texas

When 14-year-old budding philanthropist Nicholas Cobb upped his annual fundraising goal by $1,100, his mom Laura was skeptical. Nicholas didn’t waver. He set to work soliciting donations so he could buy new coats for everyone at City House, a shelter for abused children. By Make A Difference Day 2010, Nicholas had met his fundraising goal and he and 20 helpers hit Plano’s Burlington Coat Factory to buy 54 coats for children in need.

Neighborhood gives back for an amazing 19th year
Rochester Hills, Michigan

Nineteen years ago, Joanne Marcil started a garage sale to raise $150 to buy high chairs for a soup kitchen. Growing from that garage sale, the Make A Difference Day flea market is now a tradition. In 2010, the two-day market engaged more than 150 volunteers to raise $13,000 for women in crisis, the homeless, people with chronic diseases and others. In 19 years, the project has raised $71,000.

Teen spearheads national effort to fight hunger
Charlottesville, Virginia

Nicole Muller knew hunger haunted many American homes, but when she read an article about hunger in her own community, she decided to act. Nicole started an annual food drive called Neighbors-4-Neighbors. For Make A Difference Day 2010, Nicole emailed friends, family and governors’ offices around the country, urging them to donate to food banks. It worked. She and her helpers collected 7.7 tons of food in 43 states.

Restoring a beloved beach
Grand Isle, Louisiana

One of the few public beaches accessible by road, Elmer’s Island is an untamed and beautiful place. Last April, the Deepwater Horizon oil rig exploded, spewing oil into the Gulf of Mexico and closing the island. Natalie Snider, science director for the Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana, and community volunteers were determined to strengthen the shoreline. On Make A Difference Day 2010 they built 600 feet of fencing and planted 6,000 plugs of bitter panicum. Even without the oil catastrophe, such restoration work is vital. “By strengthening Elmer’s Island, we protect the marshes and communities beyond it,” said Natalie Snider.

Community rallies against winter’s blast
Dubuque, Iowa

Armed with caulk guns, insulation and neighborly concern, 225 volunteers from the Dubuque Area Weatherization Challenge worked to “keep the weather outside” on Make A Difference Day. They repaired and insulated 70 homes of elderly, disabled and low-income residents, making the homes warmer and more energy efficient for the coming winter. “Creating connections with our neighbors is the best part,” said co-organizer Laura Roussell.

Giving camouflage, comfort to troops abroad
Plymouth, Wisconsin

Before her son-in-law was deployed to Iraq in 2006, Linda Wieck got out her sewing machine and created her first camo quilt. Her son-in-law loved it; so did his fellow soldiers. Nearly 9,000 donated quilts later, others have joined her in the Camo Quilt Project. On Make A Difference Day, Linda and project co-chair Diane Meyer organized volunteers in four states to sew a record 130 camo quilts. “This work is more rewarding,” Wieck said, “than any job I’ve been paid to do.”

Sisters’ ‘almost sleepover’ awakens their friends to the needs of others
Guilford, Connecticut

At ages 8 and 9, Addie and Delaney Kenney have started a social movement that requires participants to like hanging out in pajamas, eating ice cream and helping kids in need. Somehow, they had no trouble recruiting 36 girls to attend their “almost sleepover” for Make A Difference Day. Admission price: a new pair of pajamas for kids at a shelter. The best part: delivering 70 pairs of pajamas to the shelter.

Second-graders learn a tender lesson in giving
Valley Stream, New York

Inspired by the life of 5-year-old Jack Perlungher who died from cancer last September, AnnMarie Castrogiovanni and fellow second grade teachers asked their students to do good deeds on October 23, Make A Difference Day. The day would have been Jack’s sixth birthday.
The students raised funds to benefit Jack’s preschool in exchange for their good deeds. They raised $1,300 to buy a laptop in honor of Jack’s love of computers. When students learned of their award, they screamed in joy. “What they won,” AnnMarie said, “is the good feeling that comes from helping others.”