Rachael Rosenberg, 14, is the Founder of Bundles of Kindness - Care Packages for the Homeless. Rachael has had a long standing concern about homelessness and created Bundles of Kindness to be able to raise awareness and provide personal outreach to those living on the streets of LA. She homeschools and lives in Los Angeles with her parents, two sisters, and her dog, Lois.
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Interview by Daania Sharifi
Please start off by introducing yourself to the audience!
Hi, my name is Rachael Rosenberg, I’m 14 years old, I’m from Los Angeles, California, and I created a community project called “Bundles of Kindness”. I created Bundles of Kindness in December of 2018. I have collected items from over 65 large companies, small businesses, nonprofit organizations, and individuals for comprehensive care packages designed for those who are homeless in LA.
Nice to meet you! Talk to us about how you first got the idea to create Bundles of Kindness? What was the inspiration? How did you create it?
Throughout my life I have seen too many people on the street and I have always wanted to help the community. I have put together homemade meals for people who are homeless with my sisters, handed out snacks from our car, sorted food at a local food pantry, and volunteered to make hundreds of sandwiches that were given to people in need. But that was not enough. As I was preparing for my Bat Mitzvah last year, I was looking for something to do for my Mitzvah project. I decided to create my own organization. And then, BOOM! Bundles of Kindness was born!
What is your favorite part about Bundles of Kindness?
My favorite part about Bundles of Kindness is that every time I hand a recipient a Bundle, I receive a smile in return. I also like spending time talking with the people who get my care packages. I think having conversations with people I’m giving Bundles to makes them feel cared for and respected.
Love that! It’s always rewarding to do good. What is your the big goal or mission for bundles of kindness? How do you hope to expand it?
Last year I exceeded my 2019 goal of 100 care packages for those who are homeless. This year my goal is 500 care packages. Another goal I have is to join forces with a public figure who would like to help me help others by sending the message that everyone should have their basic needs met. Other ways that I want to expand Bundles of Kindness is to increase the number of donors and to network with even more community organizations. Although Bundles of Kindness has had quite a bit of publicity, I hope to be able to expand its presence in all of the media platforms. I also want to inspire others to do what they are passionate about and to contribute to their communities.
That’s incredible! Who’s your inspiration (generally)? What’s inspiring about them & what would you ask them if you could ask them one question?
There are many people who inspire me to help the homeless. I’ve been inspired by my family, friend’s, community leaders, and others who have helped me develop values and the belief that nobody should have to worry about food and housing.
How have you been coping with quarantine? What do you do to pass time?
While in quarantine, I have been doing school online, keeping in touch with friends, and I have been spending more time with my family. Staying active on Instagram (@bundlesofkindness) and Facebook (Bundles of Kindness LA), along with maintaining BundlesOfKindness.org has helped me stay connected to others. I am continuing to obtain donations for Bundles of Kindness. I’m really excited to receive 2,500 pairs of socks in the mail for my Bundles!
It’s great that people donate to such a great cause! Do you have any advice for other teens that want to start a fundraising/drive initiative like you?
If you’re passionate about something, don’t let anyone or anything discourage you because you can do anything that you want to do to make the world a better place. I suggest thinking BIG! Create a step by step plan that eventually leads you to meeting your big goal. For example, one of the steps I put into my plan was to get media attention. It took a while, but with persistence, I was successful. Check out a couple of my news clips: ABC Cool Kid of the Week (https://abc7.com/abc7-cool-kid-rachael-rosenberg-bundles-of-kindness/5390048/ ) and Yahoo! News (https://news.yahoo.com/socal-13-old-leads-project-045820237.html)
Any advice for teens in general?
Teens need to realize that their age doesn’t matter when it comes to making an impact on the world.