The Giving Tree

Kids Helping Kids 

When children are in the hospital because of an injury or illness, adults can sometimes forget that the kids are still kids. When Mischa Zimmermann was diagnosed with a brain tumor in 1996, he spent a lot of time in the hospital, and sometimes all he had to keep himself entertained were videos to watch. Other kids would ask to borrow the videos, and Mischa could see how much it brightened their day.

Because of his experience in the hospital, in 1997 Mischa started Kids Helping Kids. This non-profit volunteer organization is run by teens to benefit teens and children who have been affected by serious illnesses or injuries. The teen volunteers help by interacting with the patients, planning special events, and granting special wishes. Kids Helping Kids also raises money to get children the proper mobility equipment, like special wheelchairs, scooters and ramps, so they can move around more easily and be with their peers.

The volunteers do all of this while raising awareness of the major changes children and their families face while coping with an illness or injury. “Our mission is to keep kids involved in the world of their peers and help them know they haven’t been forgotten,” Mischa said.

Kids Helping Kids has received recognition from the National Caring Institute, Rosie O’Donnell’s SuperKids, and the Volvo for Life Awards for helping to encourage healthy children and teens to make a difference in the life of another child.

For more information on how you – or a teen you know – can help, visit www.kidshelping.org. Here you can also read more about Mischa’s personal story, find out about upcoming events, and contribute to the organization.

Know someone under the age of 18 who has started their own charity? If so, let us know!