November Changemaker: Joshua Williams
Getting a 4 year old to share toys isn’t always easy. But at 4 years old, Joshua Williams decided not just to share what he had, but to start a nonprofit so others could share their time, talent, and treasure to fight hunger. That’s why for the month of November, as we celebrate Thanksgiving and plenty, we highlight Joshua as our November changemaker.
It all began on the way to church. Joshua’s grandmother had given him $20 to spend however he wanted. As they drove, he saw a man with a sign reading “Need money. Need food.” Joshua didn’t understand why someone would have such a sign. “I didn’t know that people needed help so I asked my mom why he had the sign and she explained. It was very surprising to me. I couldn’t comprehend why people had to live in such conditions and the sign said he needed money, so why not give him the $20 dollars that I had?” The lightbulb went off in his head — and his heart. “That’s when I saw that I could really make a difference and that I had to do something and that I had to change the world.”
Now his nonprofit, Joshua’s Heart, has served over 500,000 meals to families, recruited 15,000 youth volunteers, and raised over $770,000 since it began in 2005. Joshua, now a senior in high school, remains the organization’s President. This year, in addition to his schoolwork and college applications (he hopes to attend MIT), Joshua led the nonprofit to a new, broader mission. After 13 years, he says, “Clearly, Joshua’s Heart is much more than stomping out hunger. We tackle numerous global issues and try to make the world a better place.”
The new mission, “to inspire and empower youth to tackle global issues and change the world through kindness, teamwork, and determination,” reflects Joshua Williams perfectly. We’re inspired, and we hope you are, too.
