Winners

Lee L. - assist at least five startups in raising the funds during the next 12 months that will allow them to build new businesses that will put more people to work and help grow our economy out of its current recession.

Caroline L. - spending a few minutes with elderly ladies every day either face to face or by phone. In our society we celebrate youth and neglect the elderly. Telephone trees used to call the elderly could make millions of seniors happier and healthier.

Gloria R. - help 100 communities across this nation to have action-oriented dialogues on race and to promote inclusiveness in all of my work connecting people with each other and people with their local government.

Annette G. - Give my time to HFCDC a non-profit org & help our school from being closed con't sending emails to anyone that can help us build veterans homes,home for girls,battered women,village for the elderly.I can't stop,help.

Scott J. - The marine fishery is in steep decline or even collapse. I will do everything I can to mobilize my local community and restore anadromous fish populations and hold the federal governments feet to the fire through the FERC re-licensing process.

Gerald J. - To empower. To change. To motivate. Giving all the heart, all the creativity, the resources and the life long education invested in me towards the development of inner city youth through the arts.

Joey H. - volunteering more in 2009. As times are tough for all, there is always someone worse off who may need help. A smile, a cup of coffee, helping the elderly with grocery shopping, we all have a responsibility to take care of each other.

James R. - I will try to create and organized a bioregional model of ecocracy to ecoregions in California. This will include economies of scale plans for restoration ecology, green energy planning, and urban renewal planning.

Gionira B. - Change begins with me. I commit to raise awareness of children's rights. I want to empower children to voice out their opinions and adults to know that children are valuable citizens whose opinions have to be taken into consideration.

Sara H. - Creating a low environmental impact school using CFL bulbs, recycling waste, and using energy efficient appliances. I will document becoming an eco-friendly school through a website, highlighting student action towards reducing environmental impact.

Fred O. - use my housing production experience gained before my retirement to help restore more than 20 foreclosed American homes using green technology wherever possible for the new homeowners to have a better chance of sustaining their home ownership. WE CAN

Clyde D. - raise thousands of dollars each year to build safe, reliable shelter for those who need it most. I will develop positive online applications that bring awareness, promote compassion and encourage giving.

Justin K. - using technology to help refugees start new lives in the United States, through mapping resources and developing tools for volunteers working with refugees.

Keisha M. - assisting military families with the educational needs of dependant military children. Most of our military families go through a great deal of emotional distress. What a better way to assist our country than by pledging to help military children.

James K. - embracing my role as a university educator to fight for practical clean energy initiatives that will reduce harmful emissions, as well as promote conservation and "green" life habits to my students, coworkers, and neighbors. Let's make a change!

Jim F. - stand up in my school classroom and act as a role model for "at risk students." As a Substitute Teacher I influence a great number of students, explaining my "inner-city" background and how to get out of the "gang" mentality to find a better life!

Bri'anna M. - convincing my school board to re-evaluate their denial of the proposal of a charter high school in our district. We're going to need a new high school soon and if they approve the charter school one will be built with no cost to the district.

Greg W. - ...developing relationships across class lines that will inspire and encourage prosperity for all by neighbor helping neighbor. I will facilitate weekly community meetings which will include a free meal, childcare and community building topic.

Janet F. - seeking scholarship funds for K-12 kids who have dyslexia, autism, ADHD and other learning differences. Attending specialized schools will help them gain the skills to become self-sufficient adults who actively contribute to their communities.

Elisabeth A. - start by taking better care of our planet by recyling and conserving water. I will join an environmental group and attend local beach cleanup activities. I have been apathetic, but pledge to be proactive.

Kerry H. - working with my fellow community organizers to develop GRASSROOTS ACTION PLANS that will address the problems of crime, poor public schools, and wasteful local government that plague us here in Memphis, TN.

Levi "David" p. - Serving as a tutor/ mentor to exceptional children. These boys and girls need to know that they CAN succeed at many different things at home, in class and in sports. I've worked at 4H Club Camp; Special Olympics and with Boy Scout as a volunteer.

Tess M. - organize 4 Heifer Happy Hours in 2009. These events will not only help raise awareness and funds for Heifer's international aid programs, they will bring the Sacramento community together to be change agents and members of our world community.

Joelle F. - organizing in my community to keep the momentum of grass roots activism growing and deepen the coming together of all peoples to achieve an America truly "of, by and for the people," in which every person can develop to their fullest potential.

Cassandra R. - I will join the Peace Corp after I graduate from college.

Bettina N. - give my weekends to service the young with no families, in jail, and expose them to art. For them to find trust and beauty in themselves.

Synamon B. - stamping out the civic illiteracy that exists in my local community. I will engage and educate my fellow citizens through convening and organizing public forums, town hall meetings and meaningful debates.

Alina M. - volunteer at a food shelter, participate in and support local businesses and farms, buy local produce as often as possible, join americorps in the next 1 or 3 years, try my best to be a well-informed and critically thinking individual.

Anne S. - working for changes in the treatment of horses. They have had a significant role in shaping civilizations. People of different cultures who love their horses can find common ground. Riding therapy, equine rescues can change lives- I can help here.

Stacy J. - provide cooking skills and nutrition education to my neighborhood in NYC (Spanish Harlem)--a neighborhood that is inundated with fast-food restaurants and that affords few options for fresh fruits and vegetables, explaining the high rates of obesity.