ImpactPhilanthropyGreatest Person of the DayVolunteering

Nominate A Greatest Person Of The Day

Nominate A Greatest Person Of The Day!
|
Open Image Modal

HuffPost Impact is looking for nominees for our Greatest Person of the Day. The recognition honors acts of service that go above and beyond -- from local heroes performing selfless acts of courage in their communities to global trailblazers embarking on humanitarian efforts worldwide.

Perhaps your neighbor has been quietly volunteering at the local food shelf for 30+ years, or your friend selflessly saved someone's life in an accident, or someone you know started a school to teach math in Africa. If you know someone who is making small changes that are leading to big differences, nominate him or her below. If chosen, we'll reach out and name this nominee our Greatest Person of the Day!

Our 2024 Coverage Needs You

As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.

Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.

to keep our news free for all.

Support HuffPost

Before You Go

Greatest People of the Day
Started A Youth Soccer Program In Haiti(01 of09)
Open Image Modal
When Kona Shen, 23, saw the energy that Haitian children had for sports, she realized that she could utilize that energy to make a difference. She founded Global Outreach And Love of Soccer, or GOALS, which works to provide youth leadership, community development and environmental awareness through sports teams and summer camps."Kids here don't even need a ball or cleats to excel in soccer," she said. "They have a chance when playing soccer to really excel even when they have no resources ... it's a really powerful way for kids to regain and maintain normalcy in their lives."To get involved, click here. (credit:Courtesy of Kona Shen)
Wrote An Advocacy Book About Epilepsy (02 of09)
Open Image Modal
For as long as he can remember, Evan Moss has been suffering from epileptic seizures. One semi-successful brain surgery and thousands of seizures later, Evan, now 7, wrote a book about his epilepsy to raise money for a seizure dog, which will alert help if Evan is having a seizure.To buy Evan's inspirational book, My Seizure Dog, click here. (credit:Courtesy of Lisa Moss)
Started A Food Bank For Pets(03 of09)
Open Image Modal
When Tom Wargo first introduced the idea of a food bank for pets, food banks thought he was crazy. Now he gives away 600,000 pounds of pet food a year at his four Georgia locations -- while managing to help food shelters focus on what they do best: feed people."[People are] not going to let their animals starve, they're not going to kill them at the pound, so they're going to feed them, just like if you have kids."To learn more about Wargo's pet food banks or get involved, click here. (credit:Theresa Waldrop)
Founded The Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans Association(04 of09)
Open Image Modal
In 2004, Paul Rieckhoff, an Iraq War veteran, founded the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans Association. The nonprofit is the nation's largest for Iraq and Afghanistan veterans, with some 200,000 members -- and focuses on awareness, advocacy and assistance for soldiers returning from war. "I had the support of my family, but I still felt alone as an Iraq veteran," Rieckhoff said. "And I didn't want others to feel the same."To get involved, click here. (credit:Paul Rieckhoff)
Tours The Country Speaking Out Against Bullying(05 of09)
Open Image Modal
Gabrielle Ford suffers from a degenerative neuro-muscular disorder that weakens her body's muscles. It's an illness that she tried to hide for many years. That changed when she got a dog, Izzy, who was eventually diagnosed with a similar muscle-degenerating disease. Having been a victim of bullying, Fords toured the country with her dog, speaking out against bullying, and inspiring others to do the same."I didn't plan on affecting people, it just happened with the life story or hand I was dealt," Ford said, "One person said, 'you didn't find your meaning and purpose in life, it found you and you're a hero to thousands of students bullied in American schools every year.'"To buy Ford's book and donate to her cause, click here. (credit:Rhonda Allen Hillman)
Started 'Pay What You Can' Panera Bread Restaurants(06 of09)
Open Image Modal
Ron Shaich, founder of Panera Bread is more than just a fast food mogul. In the last few years, Shaich has opened three Panera Cares restaurants, built around a "pay what you can" model."A lot of investors really didn't like this idea back then," Ron said. "But I saw it as a vehicle to, shall I say, serve real food to real people. At the time, fast food had basically become self-service gas stations of the human body. We wanted to give people food they could respect." (credit:Ron Shaich)
Helps Feed Hungry Childen(07 of09)
Open Image Modal
Bruno Serato is known for more than just serving celebrities at his Anaheim, Calif. restaurant, Anaheim White House. Instead, he's made a name for himself feeding "motel children" free pasta seven days a week. On average, Serato and his restaurant feed about 150 children, and have given away 245,000 meals to date."A customer once asked me, 'Bruno, how can you afford to do this?' I said, 'How can I afford to stop?' This is my passion. If I could not do what I do every day, I'd be devastated."To help Serato feed hungry children, he asks that pasta donations be brought to his restaurant, or visit the nonprofit he began to help raise funds, Caterina's Club. (credit:Bruno Serato)
Helped Build A School In Kenya(08 of09)
Open Image Modal
Officially, Margo McAuliffe has long been retired. But in reality, she's nowhere close to retirement. When she finished teaching high school math in 2003, she took a trip to Kenya and decided to help fundraise for a new school there. A million dollars later, McAuliffe had helped build a school. So far 17 girls have graduated high school, and 46 more are expected to graduate next year."It gave me helpful insights. I took away that I -- we -- need to appreciate the education that we have here." To get involved and see the school's progress, click here. (credit:Courtesy of Margo McAuliffe)
Helps Answer Letters To Santa At Christmas(09 of09)
Open Image Modal
Thousands upon thousands of Christmas wish lists addressed to Santa make their way to Pete Fontana's hands each year. He is the "chief elf officer" at the New York post office, where he readies the letters for donor pick-up, then delivers the presents that volunteers bring back. "That's the best part, is meeting these people," Fontana said. "They energize me." (credit:Damon Dahlen)
Suggest a correction
|
Submit a tip