America Deserves A Raise

I am nominating Carlene for this award. I maybe biased, but she is one the most giving, inspiring persons I know. When we first were married 6 years ago, she was a youth minister at a small Lutheran church, where she began to develop a group of kids who were dedicated to serving others. By merely being around her and her youth group, I realized how much she impacted these kids into helping the less fortunate. The difference she made in the world around her was truly amazing.

She now works at a community action agency where she helps homeless and at-risk teens become more employable. She helps them to become self-sufficient and not reliant on any assistance. The work she does with her clients in truly amazing. I watch as she inspires them to finish their education and to dream big. She specializes in working with youth who struggle with chemical dependency and helps them deal with those problems.

Through her work, I have seen teenagers’ lives changed. More than a couple of times, kids have written her letters explaining how she was the reason they hadn’t commit suicide. I don’t lie when I say that her influence saves lives. Twice, she has approached me and advocated for a youth from her church group to live with us. We have become a legal guardian for one amazing teenager who is now a part of our family.

So why does she deserve this generous gift? She is so impassioned with helping youth, that she would rather give up higher paying jobs, to work with kids. These kids sometimes have no other ally in the world, other than Carlene. She truly cares about the youth of today, and tries to help them become contributing citizens to our society, instead of just counting them out. With this generous gift, she could feel comfortable doing the job she loves, while paying off debt that she has incurred. Thanks for your consideration.