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Robin
Steele
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Robin
Steele
43
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Shoreview
,
MN
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"I travelled to India and had the chance to meet Mother Teresa. After that experience, I went on a journey to learn about ways I could help the poor. When I returned and visited the local food pantry, I just couldn't forget the images of families that were just unable to even buy the smallest gift for their children. I wanted to work to help families retain their dignity even in the face of poverty."
Living at poverty level is a terrible day to day struggle. The stories are especially upsetting when they involve children. After visiting a food pantry, Robin Steele found out that many struggling families simply cannot afford to buy their children a present for their birthday or holiday. She heard stories about parents frantically looking for a box of cereal in hopes of using it as a birthday present for their child. She decided that she could change this for families in her community and created Cheerful Givers. Through this program parents can receive birthday gifts for their children. Because of Robin's work more than 340,000 children have received presents on their special day.
Cheerful Givers cultivates life skills in less fortunate families by allowing parents to positively reinforce their child, fostering a caring spirit, cultivating parent's capacity to recognize the individuality of each child, conveying the importance of experiencing joy in families and creating traditions, providing parents with a way to experience the power of showing they care.
While working full-time, Robin started the Cheerful Givers nonprofit with her own funds and the help of her family and friends. Because Robin took the initiative to discover an unmet need and began by filling 12 birthday bags one night in 1993, more than 340,000 less fortunate children have had Happy Birthdays as a result. That's why Robin is a 2010 Woman of Worth.
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"I just think that it's so important for children to have that one special day. Every child deserves a happy birthday."
Hear Robin discuss her work
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ORGANIZATION
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