Hannah Nussbaum will brighten your day the second you meet her! She has a smile that is contagious, a heart that is big as can be and a passion to serve all ages in our community. I can’t even count the number of hours that she has put into our programs! If I had to guess I would say that she has dedicated well over 300 hours in the last year alone. Her dedication, passion and vision cannot even begin to be articulated with words in this email so I have also included pictures (which are described below). The goal of Youth2Seniors is to bridge our generations and bring them closer – Hannah embodies this goal. She started volunteering with us immediately upon graduating from high school. Her initial responsibilities were to facilitate an art class with youth and seniors at one of the assisted living facilities we work with. It became very clear very quickly that she could play a much larger role in our organization. In the past year she has led over 30 art classes, facilitated multiple events such as giving workshops, special events and more. She really understand our mission and helps drive that home in each of our events and with each participant. We are about building enduring relationships with our seniors and youth, and she helps do this with the projects she selects for her events and with her facilitation techniques. In fact, she is so important to the success of our programs that she is now the youngest member of our Board of Directors! Because of Hannah our programs have been bigger – bolder – and more effective! She never stops coming up with ideas that stretch our programs to new heights. I am positive that Youth2Seniors would not be where it is today without her passion and involvement. Let me provide some real examples of her impact: • She talked a group of seniors, from an assisted living facility, into not only attending a local fun run – but participating in it! These seniors had a blast getting out and being cheered on by their community. • After one of our bear building workshops (where we make stuffed animals to donate to kids in need in the community) she organized an outing for the seniors to personally deliver bears to the kids at Helping Hands Home. She then took it a step further and organized an art class with these two groups – which she still teaches today. • She educated the Youth2Seniors team about an amazing project called the Empty Bowl Project and led a program for us where our participants created and donated 40+ bowls to this event in an effort to raise money to feed Austin’s hungry (see picture 1652) • She has taken our program from providing 8 classes in the summer time (last year) to a whopping 35 classes this summer alone! (see picture 660) • She has generated ideas that help Youth2Seniors raise money to continue keeping our programs low cost and free of charge to the community! I would love to see Hannah get the recognition she deserves because she has made a lasting impact of so many people in our community – youth, seniors, kids living in shelters, adults and so much more! She has also provided a vision that has made Youth2Seniors what it is today. I can honestly say that she has had a lasting impact on our programs and participants that will continue for years to come! A picture says 1000+ words – I have attached 4 pictures to give you a better idea for who she is! You will see her with a resident and their bowl that they decorated and donated to the Austin Empty Bowl Project, Our Fun Run Team, Her with a senior in one of our art classes, and finally her and a youth as they deliver flowers to the ladies at an assisted living facility for Mother’s Day.

– Adelle L. Connors