In lieu of birthday and holiday gifts this year, I’m asking my friends and family to consider making a donation in my name to Youth Venture in the San Francisco Bay Area.

The Youth Venture program turns young dreamers into changemakers by providing seed funding, training, and ongoing support to young people ages 12-20 who want to launch their own social change venture. Since Youth Venture started in 1996, they’ve enabled over 3,500 youth-led teams to launch in over 20 countries. Ventures have ranged from tutoring services to virtual radio stations, from bike stores to dance academies, from video festivals to diabetes support groups.

Youth Venture is a project of Ashoka, the leading worldwide organization for social entrepreneurs. I serve on the leadership team for Youth Venture’s new San Francisco office. When you donate to Youth Venture S.F., 100% of your donation will go directly to a youth-led team to provide seed funding for their venture. You can learn more about Youth Venture here.

To donate by credit or debit card, visit the donation page on the Youth Venture website. Your contribution of any amount is welcome. Just be sure to specify the San Francisco Bay Area office when making your donation, and I’ll be notified so I can thank you.

Thanks for considering this request. I’ll be sure to let you know how your funds are being used to help Bay Area youth discover their power to make the world a better place.