Aaron’s Presents and Caffè Nero Partner Up to Introduce the Youth Speaker Series, “Kids Give… Their Stories”

On October 17th from 5-7p, Caffè Nero will be hosting a special evening of reflections by inspired and empowered youth. The speakers will be local kids who are participants of the program Aaron’s Presents, an Andover-based nonprofit that provides 1) hands-on, individualized mentoring, 2) up to $500 worth of materials or services and 3) logistical help to children in 8th grade or below who want to carry out any community service idea that benefits at least one other person or animal. Says the founder, Leah Okimoto, “It’s a new approach to ‘community service’, because we’re asking kids to start seeing giving and helping not as an occasional obligation but as the larger purpose behind everything they are striving for and doing.” With assistance from Aaron’s Presents mentors, children imagine, plan, organize and lead a memorable, meaningful and fun community service project while practicing kindness, empathy and generosity—traits that are being shown by more and more research to lead to positive life outcomes. Local kids ages 7-14 have given food to people in need, taught their own dance classes, arranged a CPR-certification class for 25 classmates, planned holiday activities for homeless families and helped animals at the MSPCA-Nevins Farm and acted on countless other ideas, all on their own initiative and desire to help.

From 5-6p, these youth leaders will be available individually to answer questions about their projects; and from 6-7p, they will share the inspiring stories of their vision, empowerment and project outcomes with the audience.

Caffè Nero is located at 77 Main Street, Andover, MA, (978) 409-2847, http://caffenero.com/

Aaron’s Presents is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, www.aaronspresents.org, working with kids in the Merrimack Valley and North Shore.