About
Hey, I'm Jacob, an 18-year-old social activist, writer, college student, and founder and director of this organization!
Up until 6th grade, I was a typical kid. Unarguably, I had been sheltered from the rough patches of life, free of hardships and pain. My loving, supportive family was always there for me and – admittedly – the only tears I ever cried were childish reactions to being told there would be no dessert on the table following that night's meal. In my mind, this physiological response was substantiated by what I considered to be demonic dessert deprivation. Yet, when my grandpa died, I learned what authentic tears felt like. I cried for weeks knowing my grandpa, a role model in my life, would no longer be there to give me his famous criticism about "not shaking hands with a fish's arm," to go on weekly strolls through our neighborhood park, or to celebrate with on holidays. Nor could he attend my wedding, meet my future children, or give me a hug or kiss ever again. Indeed, my eyes were opened to the reality of vulnerability that so many elderly people face, and it was devastating. Cruel, even. At this young age, I felt my blissful juvenility being purloined from my heart.
Up until 6th grade, I was a typical kid. Unarguably, I had been sheltered from the rough patches of life, free of hardships and pain. My loving, supportive family was always there for me and – admittedly – the only tears I ever cried were childish reactions to being told there would be no dessert on the table following that night's meal. In my mind, this physiological response was substantiated by what I considered to be demonic dessert deprivation. Yet, when my grandpa died, I learned what authentic tears felt like. I cried for weeks knowing my grandpa, a role model in my life, would no longer be there to give me his famous criticism about "not shaking hands with a fish's arm," to go on weekly strolls through our neighborhood park, or to celebrate with on holidays. Nor could he attend my wedding, meet my future children, or give me a hug or kiss ever again. Indeed, my eyes were opened to the reality of vulnerability that so many elderly people face, and it was devastating. Cruel, even. At this young age, I felt my blissful juvenility being purloined from my heart.
OK, if you asked me back then how I felt, I would've replied with a more elementary response as expected of a 5th-grader, like feeling upset or heartbroken. Nonetheless, I was unequivocally saddened by loss and felt a seismic ripple in the jigsaw puzzle of my life, missing an essential piece of who I was. Unlike the pieces to the myriad of games piled in a scattered array in my living room, I wouldn't be able to find this piece ever again – no matter how hard I looked. As I continued to grieve, I realized I needed to do something. Something that mattered.
Thus, I eagerly wanted to make a difference, and began thinking of what he could do to touch the lives of the elderly, a group which he felt could greatly benefit from additional tender, loving kindness. From this small idea, Chipotle was born! Nope, just kidding. WE were born... Love for the Elderly! Yeah, I know, I know. Chipotle is up there too in terms of awesomeness, but here at LFTE, we like to think that our initiatives are pretty dang incredible, impacting thousands of people's lives. Today, my nonprofit operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with 1 simple mission. What's that mission, you ask? Why, bringing joy into the lives of the elderly, of course!
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LFTE inspires others to connect with their elders and bridge pre-existing age barriers, through programs such as Letters of Love (a handwritten letter-writing program that brings smiles to the faces of seniors), Senior Buddies (forming pen-pal relationships between youth and nursing home residents), SunshineBox (distributing fun boxes filled with goodies to seniors in nursing homes), and our Social Impact Program (a broad range of initiatives inspiring people to show more kindness to seniors which includes TEDx talks, public speaking engagements, educational presentations, and awareness through social media with the ultimate goal of generating a social impact of breaking down age-related barriers).
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We would love to have you on-board our journey of kindness! At LFTE, we wholeheartedly believe that ANYONE can make a difference, and EVERYONE should try! Why not try right now? From writing a letter to a lonely senior to using your spare change for a good cause by making a donation to my nonprofit, there's so much you can do to make a difference and show your "love for the elderly!"
Through these initiatives, Love for the Elderly has brought joy to tens of thousands of seniors across the globe, motivating and inspiring people to give back to their elders in over 60 countries and 6 continents.
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