Churches have been so supportive. They're one of our largest donors and helpers. You reach a wide span of people when you're speaking to a religious group. I've spoken to churches from all denominations. People in churches are always so willing to help out.
Aubyn Burnside, Suitcases for Kids

My Aztec people believe that the children being born now are "Indigo Children." These babies are the spirits we are to learn from. They will teach us how to live and how move into El Sexto Sol, the sixth sun, el sol de la justicia, the sun of consciousness. I can't wait for that day! I feel very honored to be alive at this time, right now. I know that my spirit chose this time to be here, to come and to do this work, and to struggle. It is a very painful time, it is a very sad time, and I'm willing to stick through doing this work. I'm willing to feel the pain.
Alma Rosa Silva-Banuelos, Young Women of Color United

I don't have a "spiritual" drive. I do have the same noble goal that my mother had about creating a context for humanity. I know that each time I make a difference in the life of someone, it has a ripple effect which is precious because this can make a difference for the future of humanity.
Noah Nuer, Learning as Leadership

I believe in God. I believe there is a better place and my grandmother is there. I don't need somebody to tell me everyday that I need to read the Bible to understand that if you are a good person and do the right thing, the right results will happen. There are so many different religions and so many different beliefs. Everybody does good things, and everybody does bad things. If we all do good things, work towards helping each other, get along and not blow each other up, then greater things will come.
Emily Douglas, Grandma's Gifts

I'm very spiritual. I see myself as a Christian, but I don't go to church. I don't believe that I have to go and hear somebody read their interpretation of what something means to me and tell me that that's the way it is.
Vanessa Duran, filmmaker, Colin Higgins Courage Award

I'm not the most religious person. I consider myself a very spiritual person. I had originally planned to major in religion at Dartmouth. The ideals that I work for are encompassed in various world religions. I believe in a greater good and I in God, which happened in my junior year, after [my grandfather's] death.
Matt Oppenheimer, Planned Parenthood Youth Volunteer of the Year Award (2002)
Everything I do serves God. Since I'm a Christian, it's my job. I really feel, not that I have to, but I need to, I should. I believe in the saying, "Anything we do for the least of them, we do it for God."
Amanda Watkins,
Leo Club/Americorps

We're definitely involved in our church - as regular churchgoers. I'm involved with most of the youth activities that my church has to offer.
Alana Welch, Wash America

Spirituality plays a big part in my life. I prayed so much before my first food drive. I was asking, "Is this the right thing for me to do?" I really felt like this was a chance for me to make a mark. I really felt that this was something I could do to help people. I attend church regularly, religion is an important part of life. When things happen in my life, I pray a great bit, and it helps a lot, and it helped a lot during those food drives to get through a lot of the stressful times.
Brett White,
West Virginia Youth Service Initiative

I belong to the Heritage Baptist Church. It's a great church! It's not focused on just one denomination. We learn about loving God, loving others and showing how to be a servant for God, which inspired me to create the garage sale. I feel it's my duty as a Christian to help others, especially to love others. The love makes you want to act. I felt I needed to help the people in New York -- having a love for them made me want to do something.
Blake Wolf, Blake's Garage Sale [9/11 fundraiser]

My family has a very diverse religious point of view. My father had a Muslim background and my mother had an Orthodox Jewish background, even though she actually went to a Catholic convent school for five years in England. I'm third generation Ba'hai. In order to become a Ba'hai, you have to investigate it and other religions. When I was about 13 or 14, I did that. I discovered that I really believed in the Ba'hai way of life, the social ideals and the way people view the world. The Earth is one country and mankind its citizens; science and religion must be in harmony; men and women must be equal completely; universal education is something and an auxiliary universal language is something we need. We need to be a more united world in order for all of us to survive. I really took that to heart. It very much influences me now - and is very much connected to my work. We are good people and we can do better, a lot better. We mustn't succumb to our own sort of negative thinking and the negative parts of society. We can actually overcome this and we can actually live in a much, much better world.
Kevin Sabet, International Students in Action

Faith -- in whatever you believe in -- is so important. It doesn't matter what a person's belief system may be. God's guidance and influence in my life has been the thing that has helped me through many challenges in my life. No matter what are the difficulties, prayer is always there. Having faith and believing that whatever happens is for a purpose, and that greater things come from challenges and struggles. The important part is being with other people and helping any way you can just by loving and being accepting of all people.
Clayton Copeland
Mothers Against Drunk Driving

I'm Jewish, I definitely believe in God. I don't really preach my religion because I think that religion is a personal thing. I get so much support from God. I just know that this is what I'm meant to be doing.
Johanna Kandel, The Alliance for Eating Disorder Awareness

Religions are like shoes, they protect your feet. Shoes exist to help us walk through life. Life is like a road and it's really rocky. Shoes help get us through. Everyone has a specific shoe they like. Unfortunately people started believing their shoes were better and more sophisticated than other people's shoes. I don't believe my shoes are better than your shoes, or her shoes are better than his shoes. I respect other people's religions at all times. I don't practice any specific religion.
Gerald Ward, Youth Radio

I don't really want to push my beliefs on anybody else. I respect other people's decisions. I don't jump down their throats. I am a Christian, a Methodist and I go to church. It was always boring for me until I got involved in Youth Ministry and [thought], "Wow, church can actually be fun." I like contemporary services. There's no reason that we should be singing 300-year-old songs, why can't we have rock worship services? So I've been doing that since I was a freshman. I was elected to help plan some events this year. I'm the head of our youth conference for the state down and I think we're going to have a lot of fun. We're a church and we're going to have fun when we're there. And that's kind of my whole idea.
Jason Harper, founder, Groundwater Gazette

My father's Jewish and my mother is Presbyterian. When people ask me about my religions, I say, "We celebrate American holidays - like Christmas. We give presents and have a Christmas tree, but we don't go to church on Christmas eve. We give thanks on Thanksgiving and we know the stories of Easter. I'm very thankful and want to help other people have as great life as I have. I feel really privileged and blessed to have an amazing family and a career I'm excited about that enables me to give back and help people in any way I can. If I was chosen to be a role model, that's an amazing thing to me. I don't take that for granted, I'm not going to screw it up. I mean how many people are really picked to be role model? So if it's my path in life to show women that it's OK to be who you are physically then that's the path I'm going to take.
Valerie Lefkowitz, plus-size model
The Alliance for Eating Disorder Awareness

I believe that everyone has a duty to do good and to help each other. Do unto others as you wish done unto you. I'm not really religious. I consider myself a Christian - I'm attending a Jesuit university, but I don't go to mass.
Raymond Lader, Campaign For Tobacco Free Kids

I have a very strong sense of spirituality and a strong respect for the spiritual realm. I feel a very strong spiritual presence in my work, in my life and in everything. A lot of my strength and inspiration comes from my spiritual beliefs. There are moments where I feel it tremendously present and there's other times where it's not so immediately there. I pray and spend time on the land alone. Those are the times where I'm relating to the spiritual side of our existence. I wouldn't put myself into a category like Christian, Buddhist or Atheist.
Evon Peter, Neetsaii Gwich'in Chief

I believe in God, but I don't have a specific religion. My mom is a Buddhist. I'm sort of kind of Buddhist, but not really. I believe in God but I don't have a set religion. I'm really glad I was exposed to all other religions. I realized they're all sort of the same; they all have the same core values. Every one has the core values: respect yourself, respect other people, love God.
Danya Steele, former editor, HarlemLive

I'm not a churchgoing person, but I do believe in God. When there isn't an answer for something -- like right now, we're going through a time (threat of war)-I focus on the things that I CAN do. I just try and let the other things work themselves out.
Jason Upshaw, founder, 2nd Gear Bicycles, Nat'l Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurs

I'm really involved in my church. We feed the homeless and give them clothing and lots of other outreach. I'm in the Drama Team at my church so we have create plays for the homeless children.
Brittany Clifford, Fuzzy Feet