Philanthropic Teen Raises Half Million Dollars by Juggling
By Celine Piser
At 17 years old, Hollis Belger may hold a record in consecutive soccer juggles for her age — but she’s not a competitive soccer player.
A high school student, dancer, philanthropist, and motivational speaker, Hollis reached her current record of 7,157 juggles this summer through daily practice since the age of 8. But it’s not about the sport. When she was 9, Hollis learned about pediatric cancer, and founded Juggling for Jude, a fundraiser in support of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Today, she’s raised over $575,000 for the hospital, which provides free cutting-edge pediatric cancer treatment. Hollis has been recognized by the President of the United States for her dedication to service and was recently named one of People Magazine’s Ten Teens Changing the World.
In 2020, Hollis received a Diller Teen Tikkun Olam Award, an honor celebrating Jewish teen leaders who show outstanding commitment to tikkun olam, or “repairing the world.” Award-winning projects include education equity initiatives, mental health, and climate action. Awardees receive $36,000 to further their philanthropic work or education, but many say that the true value is belonging to a lasting community of like-minded changemakers.
“By far the most impactful and memorable thing” about receiving the Diller award, Hollis says, is “meeting the other Awardees. These teens found the most incredible and innovative ways to contribute to a cause or organization or issue in the world, and I was so inspired by each and every one of their stories.”
Hollis grew Juggling for Jude from a small initiative reaching her immediate community in Marin County, CA to a project with international reach. In addition to juggling daily, she holds juggling clinics, sells Juggling for Jude soccer balls, and speaks at schools and events. When the pandemic disrupted her in-person events, she — like others worldwide — pivoted. She said, “The pandemic isn’t going to stop me, and it’s sure not going to stop cancer, so why would I stop doing my fundraising?” Hollis held a Juggling for Jude Challenge on social media, inviting others to juggle and donate to the cause. The challenge, which attracted professional soccer players in Mexico and people around the world, raised over $50,000 for St. Jude.
As a Diller Awardee, Hollis emphasizes the importance of teen purpose. The dedication Awardees demonstrate is not tied to community service requirements or college admissions, but to their sense of purpose and philanthropy. Hollis believes that “there needs to be a stronger emphasis on cultivating purpose within teens and adolescents at an earlier age in order to generate meaningful impact.” Although Hollis grew up aware that “there’s a lot of change that needs to be done in the world,” her success has taught her that she “can be part of that change.” As part of the Diller Teen Tikkun Olam community of changemakers, she’s learned that “I can make a difference and so can all these other teens.”
Although she’s now applying to college, Hollis plans to continue Juggling for Jude while pursuing a degree in public policy or nonprofit management. Her dream is to work at St. Jude and start her own consulting entity helping businesses develop sustained philanthropic platforms. On her commitment to philanthropy, she says, “I want to be in this world of changemakers because it has enriched my life in ways I never could imagine, so why stop now?”
