Ripple Effect of One Act of Kindness - Oprah Scholarship
By Stephanie Palumbo
O, The Oprah Magazine | From the December 2011 issue of O, The Oprah Magazine 
Photo: Courtesy of Reginald Cleaver
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As an Oprah Scholar, Cleaver traveled to Johannesburg, South Africa, to help with AIDS education efforts. He plans to obtain a doctorate in ministry, with an emphasis on community outreach in impoverished neighborhoods. "Because Oprah invested in me," he explains, "I became an advocate for other young men." Fund-Raising Efforts As president of the Young People's Division of the African Methodist Episcopal Church from 2007 to 2011, he led fund-raisers that yielded more than $50,000 for earthquake relief in Haiti and more than $25,000 for scholarships around the world. Haiti Relief The disaster relief funds Cleaver raised were donated to AME-SADA, a humanitarian, nonprofit arm of the church, and used to provide medical services and counseling to patients in hard-to-reach communities. Homeless Advocacy Through his work with Central Outreach & Advocacy Center, Cleaver helped Atlanta's homeless obtain state identification, birth certificates, and other documentation necessary to apply for jobs. He's also volunteered with Emily's Haven, an outreach ministry that offers GED classes and other services to impoverished women. Start your own ripple effect today |
