Kindness looks like 120 teens redesigning the world around them, one project at a time.
We’re thrilled to name Pierce County Library Foundation as one of our newest Kindness Grant recipients. This grant will support their Teen Volunteer League, an 8-week summer program where 120 teens from across the community come together to design community projects, create library displays, co-lead service initiatives, and bring their ideas to life.
Led by the Pierce County Library System, the Teen Volunteer League offers so much more than service hours. It’s a space where young people, especially those from underserved communities, can build job skills, form meaningful peer connections, and step into their own leadership. Over the course of the summer, they contribute more than 2,000 hours of service and co-create the future of their local libraries.
This year’s Kindness Grant will fund the supplies, snacks, giveaway books, and service materials that make their youth-led projects possible. Whether it’s a community garden or a storytime program, every project reflects the teens’ creativity, care, and vision for their community.
At the TDB Family Foundation, we support initiatives that Amplify Voices of Youth. We believe in projects where young people are trusted to lead, create, and make a difference. The Teen Volunteer League is a powerful example of that mission in action. Through service learning, program design, and hands-on collaboration, these teens are shaping their community from the inside out.
We were especially moved by the way this program combines leadership development with mentorship and connection. For many participants, it’s a turning point—the first time they feel seen, trusted, and empowered to lead. And those relationships don’t end when the summer does. Many teens stay in touch with library mentors, carry their experiences into college and careers, and continue to ripple kindness throughout their communities.
We’re so proud to support this inspiring program, and we can’t wait to see what these young changemakers build next.
➡️ Learn more about the Pierce County Library System at mypcls.org
➡️ Inspired to bring your own kindness project to life? Apply for a $1,000 Kindness Grant at tdbff.org/kindness-grants
Photo Courtesy of Pierce County Library System