Lauren and the Hopeful Days calendar

Lauren G. is living proof that inspiration—as well as a life-changing idea—can come at any time and anywhere. Browsing at the local shopping mall one day, Lauren, 15, walked into a calendar store and was amazed at the variety of photographs and subjects.

“I was thinking that there are so many beautiful and moving photographs out there,” says the ambitious high school sophomore. “It would be great to get some in a calendar that will inspire people to help make a difference in the world.”

Wasting no time, she immediately told friends and family about her idea: to publish a calendar that showcases local, national and international non-profit organizations helping the poor. However, she needed resources to get her project in motion.

As luck would have it, her uncle, a former United Nations employee, told Lauren about NetAid. “I checked out the site, and it was clear that NetAid does the kind of work that would be perfect for the calendar. I really believe that education can help end poverty, and so does NetAid.”

Lauren partnered with Hope for Oppressed People Everywhere (HOPE), an organization that promotes community service among students at Gil St. Bernard's where she attends school. She then enlisted the help of her good friend, Courtney Puglisi, who became her business partner. Courtney’s father also got in on the act by offering his company’s printing services for free—but the two teens still had to purchase the paper, which can cost a pretty penny, especially for the glossy, heavy paper the partners had their hearts set on.

NetAid staffers told the enterprising girls about Youth Venture, an organization that supports young people’s “civic-minded” initiatives with resources, including grant money to help start up businesses. Lauren immediately started to put together a grant proposal for money to help fund her project.

“I was worried that I wasn’t going to have any money for the paper,” she says. While waiting to hear back about the grant, Lauren continued to work on the calendar and obtained images and content from the 12 organizations featured in her 2005 calendar, named Hopeful Days.

Four months later, Lauren received word that Youth Venture had granted the calendar project $600. Lauren and Courtney sent the calendar to press this fall, thanks to the support of their school, friends, family and organizations like NetAid, Youth Venture and others who donated their services and time to help make the calendar a reality. Nearly a year after she conceived of the project, Hopeful Days had finally arrived.

The two teens are now selling each calendar for $10. Proceeds will benefit NetAid World Schoolhouse projects and the Utz K’aslemal Association, an organization in Guatemala working to promote mental health and support education among indigenous populations.

For more information or if you would like to purchase a Hopeful Days calendar, please visit the Hopeful Days web site.