At Be Humanitarian, our mission is to inspire individuals to become Global Citizens, actively contributing to the world through service. My personal journey—from being a welfare recipient as a child to founding a nonprofit—has been deeply influenced by a story that has always stayed with me: “The Star Thrower,” written by Loren Eiseley in 1969.
The story tells of a young girl walking along a beach covered with stranded sea stars after a fierce storm. She carefully threw them back into the ocean, one by one, while a man watched, bemused. He approached her and asked, “Why bother? There are too many to make a difference.” The girl paused, then picked up another sea star and threw it back. With determination, she replied, “I made a difference to that one.” Inspired by her, the man began helping, and soon, others joined in. They all needed a leader—someone to show them that even small acts of kindness matter.
When I was 10 years old, my mom left my dad, and we moved from Texas to Utah. My mom suddenly found herself as a single parent to six children, ranging from 6 months to 12 years old. We went from a seemingly normal family to one living on welfare, with food stamps and subsidized housing.
It was a major shift. Before the divorce, I don’t remember receiving much outside help, but overnight, we became recipients of others’ generosity. A nonprofit organization called Quarters for Christmas provided us with shoes, and strangers’ donations brought us joy-filled Christmas mornings. Despite our poverty, my mom always emphasized the importance of giving back. While we were receiving gifts, we would secretly choose a struggling family in our neighborhood to support. For twelve days leading up to Christmas, we’d leave simple gifts—like a candle, poinsettias, books, and fruit—on their doorstep. We’d hide in the bushes, giggling as we waited for the family to find the gifts, making sure the secret stayed intact. It became a cherished tradition that taught me the power of anonymous kindness.
As I grew older, the seeds of service my mom planted continued to grow. In 8th grade, I decided to host a coat drive. I began by collecting coats from our own closet, but quickly realized that if others joined in, we could gather so much more. With help from my classmates, we collected hundreds of coats, and the local newspaper even came to feature our project. That experience taught me that service is more impactful when people come together, and it also showed me that I could take on a leadership role for good.
At 17, I had the opportunity to backpack through Europe with two close friends. Seeing the diverse cultures, socio-economic conditions, and stark inequalities sparked a deep change in me. I returned home with a renewed sense of purpose and a desire not just to witness change, but to actively contribute to it.
When I became a mother, I wanted to share the world with my daughters in the same way. Over a decade ago, when they were 6 and 10 years old, I convinced my husband to drive our family from Pleasant Grove, Utah to Guatemala, where I had been offered a teaching position. While I taught English, my husband volunteered his nursing skills, and our daughters attended school. We spent our weekends volunteering and exploring. During our time there, I learned that many children in orphanages had living parents nearby, which deeply affected me. I became passionate about strengthening families and began working towards that goal, realizing that family preservation is key to a better future.
Now, through Be Humanitarian, I have the privilege of working directly with impoverished families in Guatemala. Over the past 11 years, we’ve delivered thousands of pounds of books, backpacks, and school supplies. We’ve installed wood-burning stoves, built water filters, and constructed gardens to support families’ food security. We also provide daily meals to a group of 31 children and ensure that their education is fully supported.
Through Be Humanitarian, I’ve learned that collective action has the power to transform lives. It’s not just about giving aid—it’s about empowering people to create sustainable change within their own communities.
The community we serve in Guatemala is my “beach of sea stars.” While the challenges are vast, I am committed to making a difference in their lives. I invite you to find your own “beach of sea stars”—something that calls to you, something you can do to make the world a better place. Together, we can all be humanitarian.
