June 2013 Legend: Hannah Nussbaum

Youth2Seniors is a nonprofit program here in Austin that strives to bridge generations and bring them closer together, partnering youth and seniors within the community in order for both groups to enhance each other’s lives and learning experience.  Hannah Nussbaum, our RecognizeGood Legend for June 2013, is recognized for her dedicated and impactful work with the Youth2Seniors program, displaying an amazing passion for service and proving to anyone paying attention that you don’t need decades of experience to make a giant difference in the nonprofit world.

Adelle Connors, the president of Youth2Seniors, absolutely gushes over Hannah and her impact on the organization and its participants.  “[Hannah] has a smile that is contagious, a heart that is big as can be and a passion to serve all ages in our community,” Connors beams, “She has made a lasting impact on so many people in our community, and she’s also provided a vision that has made Youth2Seniors what it is today.”

Since Hannah began volunteering with the program immediately following her high school graduation, her impressive list of accomplishments includes:

• over 300 volunteer hours in the past year alone
• youngest member of the Youth2Seniors board of directors
• led over 30 art classes, as well as facilitating giving workshops, special events and more
• led a group of seniors in a marathon-style fun run
• after a bear-building workshop, organized an outing for the seniors to deliver their bears personally to kids at Helping Hands Home
• organized Youth2Seniors participation in the Empty Bowl Project
• grew the summer class program from 8 classes last summer to 35 currently

Connors explains, “It became very clear very quickly that [Hannah] could play a much larger role in our organization.  She really understands our mission and drives it home with each participant. Because of Hannah our programs have been bigger – bolder – and more effective!” Hannah will be recognized this Thursday, June 20 at the Summit at Lakeway, a Youth2Seniors partner assisted living facility located at 1915 Lohmans Crossing Road, Lakeway, TX.  Start time for the ceremony is 3:00PM, and as always will be streaming live on our YouTube channel.  If you can’t join us in person, please spread the word!

There’s plenty of good happening all around us, right here in the Austin area. It’s actually pretty amazing once you let yourself start looking for it. It’s happening at your office, in your grocery store, and even during rush-hour traffic. It happened yesterday, it’s happening right now as you read this, and it will inevitably happen once again tomorrow. While we can never say ‘thank you’ enough to these self-effacing do-gooders, we at RecognizeGood believe it’s worth a shot. Drawing attention to the good in our community not only rewards those deserving citizens on the receiving end, but also inspires those all around them. Take a couple of minutes to shine a spotlight on the next selfless act you see in our community. You can use our website to make a recognition. Or simply use the hashtag #ATXgood on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest or Instagram. Tell the world about the person who changed yours. By recognizing good, you inspire MORE good – and what could be better than that?