My name is Mackenzie Wolfe, and I am honored to be a Henrik Lundqvist Foundation Young Ambassador.
This summer, I volunteered as a camp counselor for a group of local refugee children from Ukraine, Venezuela, Haiti and Afghanistan. What started as a way to get involved with my community resulted in a newfound passion to support refugee children. Many of these children still had family in their home country, and all had been forced to leave cherished things behind. Every day was an opportunity to make a difference in their lives. I learned about their different cultures—including traditional games and celebrations—and I listened to their stories about life back in their home country. With each passing day, I grew closer to them and wanted to make a lasting impact, which inspired me to dedicate my Independent Service Project to them.
I created “A Fresh Start”, an online fundraising website to raise money for refugee families to buy essentials they need to start over such as clothing, linens, toiletries and school supplies.
I also organized an event at my high school to raise awareness of the hardships immigrant children face and why supporting them matters. Students made welcome cards for children and teens just arriving in our community, highlighting favorite local spaces such as libraries and Youth Programs. In total, the group made over 30 welcome cards and I raised $1,335 which will go towards helping these children feel one step closer to feeling at home.
Written by HLFYA Mackenzie Wolfe
