EVERYDAY YOUNG HEROES
Taylor Leong
Westford, MA
YSA honors 15-year-old Taylor Leong of Westford, Massachusetts for founding “For the Love of Erika,” an annual holiday toy drive that provides children in hospitals and homeless shelters with gifts during the holidays.
Taylor created “For the Love of Erika” in 2005 in honor of her best friend Erika Gould who passed away from brain cancer. Taylor used her talent of making gifts for Erika, with her passion for uplifting people’s spirits, in order to grieve the loss of her best friend, and as well to bring smiles to children’s faces during the holidays. In the past nine years, Taylor has collected and personally delivered more than 8,000 gifts to disadvantaged children during the holiday season. “For the Love of Erika” has partnerships with 6 hospitals and 15 homeless shelters throughout Massachusetts and Southern New Hampshire. Through her partnerships with local businesses, Taylor also hosts three annual holiday parties for more than six homeless shelters that have raised more than $200,000 since its founding. Through her outreach and strategic partnerships, Taylor is able to address a community need that numerous hospitals and shelters experience during the holidays. Taylor aspires to expand “For the Love of Erika” throughout New England, as well as to engage more youth in her community in service opportunities.
For her work to support homeless shelters and hospitals through holiday toy drives, we honor Taylor Leong as an Everyday Young Hero. To learn more about “For the Love of Erika,” visit https://www.facebook.com/
To nominate a young person who has improved their community through service to be recognized as an Everyday Young Hero, please visit www.ysa.org/eyh_nomination
