When Anna was nine years old and in the 4th grade she wrote a letter to her teacher to ask if her classmates could help her collect pennies to heat families homes in the winter. Anna's teacher had her present her ideas to the class. They loved the idea! Her friends began doing chores at home to earn money which they would then bring to school. Anna also reached out to several businesses in person and in writing, A couple of them agreed to match funds dollar for dollar. A couple parents did reading challenges with the class to raise even more funds. All together the class raised $1000 and were able to heat 2 families homes. She also found a business that volunteered to clean the families furnaces so they were safely heating their homes.

Anna did not want to stop there so she decided to give her charity a name and keep it going. She calls her charity Warming Families Makes Cents. Since the 4th grade Anna's charity has blossomed. Anna has spoke at several school engaging students her own age and younger. Showing them the importance of community service and reminding them that no one is ever to young to step up and help someone else. You can use your voice to change so much and improve others lives. Many of the schools in her town run annual penny drives that involve all the students in the school. They donate the funds collected to Anna's charity. For the last two years Anna has put on an annual 5K road race raising substantial funds. Much of her community comes out to volunteer and also participate. Anna also puts out jars at local businesses and puts up display tables which she and her friend man to let people know she is there to help and to also raise additional funds.

In the last 5 years since creating her charity, Anna has helped over 30 families, raised over $30,000 and branched out to surrounding towns. Anna has impacted the lives of so many people and the support she has from her community is overwhelming. Pennies are showing up in her locker, in our mailbox, and checks are arriving daily. Anna wanted to help her community and now the community is helping the community. Anna has also grown as a person. Her confidence in herself has increased tremendously. She has always been a heartfelt young lady , always putting others first, but now she does it with amazing confidence and is not afraid to share her knowledge with the world.