Canadian Living 2009 Me to We Award winners and honourable mentions

Youth (13 to 17)
MATTHEW WARNOCK • BRINGING HOPE TO OTHERS • SURREY, B.C.

When Matthew Warnock was 11 years old, he went to Ghana with his parents, where he helped build water filters and latrines, delivered school supplies and worked in schools. He was struck by the poverty, and returned home with a desire to make a change. Matthew volunteered at the local food bank for two years before he and his sister, Kara, started Hope to Others (H2O), an organization promoting youth action.

Through H2O, Matthew educates and encourages youth to be environmentally friendly and aware of global issues. "I'm a strong believer in youth empowerment, and I love working with kids – that's a joy to me," he says.

Matthew also started the Be the Change program. He and his team make presentations at staff meetings, school assemblies, club meetings and conferences to raise awareness and funds for global issues.

Matthew, now 15, returned to Ghana last spring and hopes to assemble a group of teens for another trip next year. "Anybody can be the change, really. My hope and dream is to stay with this for as long as I can and continue to help. Not just be the change but see the change that is effected through H2O." – Erin Poetschke

Matthew's Me to We Award money will be donated to H2O and used for waterfilters and youth projects in Africa.

Honourable mentions
YOUTH (12 AND UNDER)
MATTHEW HYNES of Fredericton created Paving the Road of Hope with Loonies after his friend was diagnosed with cancer. Matthew received donations from across Canada, helping his friend’s family pay bills and stay by her bedside at the hospital.

HANNAH NEWBURY chose to spend a container of pennies on healthy food for her church's Food Drawer. She then created the Penny Project to donate to a mission in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside.

YOUTH (13 TO 17)
LASHAWN MURRAY volunteers in Toronto and participates in programs and initiatives for community development. Saturdays, she reads with kids at a community centre.

DARREN COLE started KIDSPACK in Toronto in response to a need for school supplies among lower-income families. This past year he founded Kids Against Canadian Hunger, which raises money for the Canadian Association of Food Banks.

Page 2 of 5 - Read page three for the social action winner, Hetty Van Gurp!