Alex Quian and Brady Boyd are completing 30 service projects in 30 days as a part of the 30 Days of Service initiative.
Follow their journey below or on our social accounts as they show that its the little actions in a community that make a big difference. Read their full story here.
Day 30 - Thank Your Coworkers and Supporters
For our very final service project, we took the time to say thank you to each other by planning fun activities for each other as a surprise.
Why Did We Do This Project?
Completing 30 service projects in 30 days has been a long and difficult journey, which we could not have done without each other’s constant support and encouragement. Serving our community throughout the month of July has been a transformative experience, and one that we will forever be grateful for. Don’t forget to thank the people in your life who support you on your own missions and journeys, whatever they may be.
We hope that others will be inspired to serve their community as well. Although 30 Days of Service is over, this is not the end for us. We will continue to give back to our community throughout the year, but we also plan to publish a how-to book with tips and advice for young people interested in giving back. Please stay tuned and continue to follow our journey on www.30daysofservice.com
Day 29 - Cemetery Clean Up
For our twenty-ninth project, we visited a local cemetery to pick up trash and beautify the area. We filled a trash bag with discarded items and left fresh flowers throughout the cemetery.
Today, we also returned to the Boys & Girls Club of Plano to host a pizza and ice cream party for the students in our reading program, which we launched on July 1st.
Why Did We Do This Project?
We felt that although many people clean up parks, cemeteries can sometimes be overlooked. We wanted to do this simple act out of respect to those buried in the cemetery and their families, and make sure that it was as clean as it deserved to be.
Day 28 - Dorm Kits for College Students
For our twenty-eighth project, Brady and I purchased dorm essentials and school supplies that we gave to low-income college students starting their first year of college this Fall. We hosted a group of students for a dinner and a “shopping experience,” where each student received a bin that they filled with items such as bed sets, towels, plates and utensils, notebooks, pens, pencils, and more.
Many of the supplies given to the students were donated by our tremendous partner, Alkami Technology.
Why Did We Do This Project?
We know that getting ready to leave for college and dorm shopping can be an extremely stressful time. We wanted to try to minimize this burden for students and their families by providing them with all the essentials they would need at no cost so that we can help them start their first year right and do what we can to set them up for success.
Day 27 - Fire Fighter Appreciation Lunch
For our twenty-seventh project, Brady and I hosted an appreciation lunch for over 15 firefighters at Frisco’s Central Fire Station. This lunch was generously donated by Freebird’s Frisco and Market Street.
Why Did We Do This Project?
We both greatly respect the work of first responders. Every single day of the year, they serve their community with passion and are devoted to helping others. This is the spirit of service that we hope other people can embrace as well, and we just wanted to thank them for everything that they do for our community.
Day 26 - Donate Shoes To The Homeless
For our twenty-sixth project, Brady and I purchased over 40 pairs of new tennis shoes and socks and donated them to the homeless in Downtown Dallas.
Why Did We Do This Project?
Something that we noticed when doing other projects for the homeless is that many do not have quality shoes, or sometimes shoes at all. We know that this can be deeply uncomfortable and debilitating, so we wanted to do what we could to provide at least some people with new shoes for them to use.
Day 25 - Help a Neighbor in Need
For our twenty-fifth project, we spent part of the day helping a neighbor in need complete chores, tasks, and errands to help ease some of their burden.
Why Did We Do This Project?
We wanted to help our neighbor because they are currently managing a very stressful personal situation, which means that normal tasks and chores have become a bit of a burden. Brady and I both wanted to help make our neighbor’s life a little easier during this tough time, so we decided to help out. We also know that positively impacting your entire community has to start with positively impacting those immediately around you – including your neighbors. Never hesitate to ask a neighbor how you can help them!
Day 24 - Teacher Appreciation
For our twenty-fourth project, we volunteered at the SMU Simmons School of Education & Human Development to host an appreciation lunch for current teachers. We provided and served a meal, gave away 4 classroom makeover packages donated by our partner VARIDESK, and gave every teacher gift cards donated by Kenny’s Restaurant Group.
Why Did We Do This Project?
Brady and I are extremely thankful for and owe a lot to the amazing teachers that we have had in our lives. We understand that being a teacher is an extremely difficult path and one that is often not appreciated enough, so we wanted to plan one day that was all about these teachers and allowed us to just say thank you!
Day 23 - Get Well Soon Kit
For our twenty third project, we assembled a get well soon kit for a friend who recently had a major surgery. We prepared this kit with snacks, water, Gatorade, pillows, and other essential items and surprised them with it when they got home.
Why Did We Do This Project?
Undergoing and recovering from surgery can be an extremely tough experience, and so we wanted to do this simple act of kindness as a way to bring some positivity and remind our friend that they are not going through this alone. We often take our health for granted, but it is never guaranteed – so we encourage you to be thankful for your own health and assist those who are less fortunate. Anything you can do to help them will go a long way.
Day 22 - Care Kits for the Homeless
For our twenty second project, we assembled care kits for the homeless which include essentials such as socks, toiletries, hygiene products, and some snacks. We delivered these care kits to the homeless in Downtown Dallas. Special thanks to our partner, VARIDESK, who hosted a donation drive on our behalf for this project. The generous donation of their employees made this project possible!
Why Did We Do This Project?
Just as important as delivering a meal to the homeless can be, delivering care packages with useful items can have a big impact for a homeless person. We did this project because we wanted to do our part to make sure that some of Dallas’ homeless have essential items that may be in short supply.
Day 21 - Digital Volunteer Day
For our twenty-first project, Brady and I volunteered digitally by using freerice.com and the app Charity Miles. Freerice.com and Charity Miles both offer ways that people can complete tasks or challenges to donate food or money to those in need, respectively. To help make the project more fun – we had a friendly competition between each other to see who could raise the most.
Why Did We Do This Project?
We wanted to show others that you did not even have to leave your home to volunteer and give back to your community. These are two great ways that you can make service a part of your lifestyle!
Day 20 - Market Street Donation Drive
For our twentieth project, Brady and I hosted a donation drive outside of Market Street Plano where we asked shoppers to purchase and donate items from the store to help the homeless, disadvantaged first generation college students, and Minnie’s Food Pantry.
Why Did We Do This Project?
We wanted to do this project because we know there are a lot of people who want to give and serve the community, but may not know how they can help or may not have the time to serve or donate. This project is a great way to give people an opportunity to give back because it takes no time out of their day - they are already at the store to shop. If there is a cause or non-profit in your community who has a need for items, we encourage you to ask your local grocery store if you can host your own donation drive!
Day 19 - Volunteer at Minnie's Food Pantry
For our nineteenth project, Brady and I volunteered at Minnie’s Food Pantry alongside interns and employees from some of our partner companies, Alkami Technology and JetSuite. Minnie’s Food Pantry is an incredible non-profit in the Plano area dedicated to providing families with meals through a world-class, red-carpet experience. Their work has been recognized nationally, including by Oprah.
After volunteering with Minnie’s, we also brought lunch for the staff as a thank you for giving us the opportunity to serve with them.
Why Did We Do This Project?
Food insecurity is a very important issue to us, and in the Dallas area, we really believe that Minnie’s Food Pantry is one of the best non-profits addressing this issue. Their unique approach of turning visiting a food pantry into a uniquely positive and encouraging experience is truly important to us. We wanted to volunteer with this organization so that we can help those who are doing so much for our community.
Day 18 - Youth Life Skills Class
For our eighteenth project, we returned to the Boys & Girls Club of Plano and hosted a life skills class. We covered topics such as communication, teamwork, service, and more to a group of 20 teenagers.
Why Did We Do This Project?
We know that Brady and I would not be able to do this project without having had the opportunity to learn valuable soft skills that allow us to succeed. We wanted to make sure that these students had the same opportunity to learn these essential skills, so we were driven to create our own simple, fun, and interactive class to cover these topics.
Day 17 - Ice Cream Party for Youth Athletes
For our seventeenth project, we brought ice cream from our partner, Andy’s Frozen Custard, and hosted an ice cream party for a group of young athletes.
Why Did We Do This Project?
We know that nothing is better on a hot summer day than great ice cream, so we wanted to just make some kids’ day by bringing them a treat to cool down. This simple act of kindness is a great way to give back to anyone you know!
Day 16 - Veteran Appreciation Dinner
For our sixteenth project, Brady and I hosted an appreciation dinner for veterans of Collin County. We served a meal to the American Legion Post of Frisco, which was generously donated by Rudy’s “Country Store” and Bar-B-Q, Blue Goose Cantina, Jason’s Deli, Macaroni Grill, and Maggiano’s.
Why Did We Do This Project?
Brady and I each have personal connections to the military and the American Legion. Brady’s family has a history of service, and his father served in the Army. I attended the American Legion’s Boy State program in 2015, which was an incredibly transformative experience for me. Due to these connections and our appreciation for veterans’ service, we wanted to find a way to give back to the wonderful veteran community of Collin County.
Day 15 - National Give Something Away Day
For our fifteenth project, Brady and I took part in National Give Something Away Day by collecting underused items from our home and donating them. We also worked with Atos to host a donation drive where we encouraged employees to do the same. All donations were given to Minnie’s Resale Boutique, where these items will be sold and used to fund their food pantry.
Today, we also visited some of our other corporate partners – VARIDESK and Alkami Technology – where we hosted donation drives for two of our other projects: homeless care kits and dorm kits for first generation college students, respectively. Stay tuned to see us donate these items to those in need in the coming days.
Why Did We Do This Project?
Brady and I wanted to encourage people to always donate, rather than trash, items in their own home that they may not have use for anymore but would still be valuable to someone else. This is a really simple but great way you can give back to your community – not only are you giving someone the opportunity to own a good piece of apparel or other items for significantly cheaper, but you’re also helping fund local non-profits dedicated to improving the community.
Day 14 - Raise Awarness and Donate to Charity
For our fourteenth project, Brady and I wanted to research, identify, and raise awareness of another local non-profit that is doing great things in the Dallas community. For this project, we decided to highlight Rays of Light, a fantastic non-profit dedicated to providing support and relief to families with special needs children. In addition to posting about this non-profit on our Instagram, we also made a financial donation.
Why Did We Do This Project?
Brady and I want to make sure that we support other organizations and individuals serving our communities, and so we wanted to devote a project to making sure we did just that. We also wanted to do this project to remind people that even if you do not necessarily have time to serve or volunteer, you can always help improve your community by supporting groups doing phenomenal work.
Day 13 - Write Impact Letters
For our thirteenth project, Brady and I wrote “impact letters” to people who have mentored us or have had a significant impact on our lives. In these letters, we reflected on the way that these people have impacted us and said thank you for all of their support and guidance.
Why Did We Do This Project?
Brady and I really are the product of the people who have invested in our development and growth. Without their help, we could not take on a project like this. We wanted to take the time to thank them and show our appreciation because we think it's important to let someone know when their efforts are valued. We hope that you will take the time to do the same for the people in your life who have impacted you.
Day 12 - Youth Movie Day
For our twelfth project, Brady and I returned to the Boys & Girls Club of Plano to host a special movie day. We brought popcorn, snacks, and drinks and screened a movie for a group of over 20 kids. We also offered coloring activities.
Why Did We Do This Project?
Brady and I both love working with kids, so we just wanted to host a fun afternoon activity as a special treat. This is a really simple way for anyone to serve their local Boys & Girls Club and put a smile on kids' day - so we encourage you to serve!
Day 11 - Student Leadership Workshop
For our eleventh project, we hosted a group of high school student athletes for a leadership development workshop. This workshop featured a keynote presenter and covered topics such as communication, working effectively as a team, and servant leadership. We ended the night by assembling meal bags for the homeless which we will donate.
Why Did We Do This Project?
A major goal of our entire 30 Days of Service project is to inspire other youth to give back to their communities and more importantly, strive to become leaders who can affect change. Because of this, we wanted to do at least one project where we could work with a group of students to encourage them to be leaders and discuss what it means to be a leader.
Day 10 - Donate Books to Children’s Home
For our tenth project, Brady and I collected children’s books, assembled them into boxes, and donated them to Presbyterian Children’s Home.
Why Did We Do This Project?
We know that it can be difficult to grow up in a children’s home, and so we wanted to find a way to contribute a little bit of positivity. We wanted to donate books because we both have personally enjoyed reading as a mental escape from tough situations and wanted to provide that same opportunity to children who may not have access to many books.
Day 9 - Breakfast for Seniors
For our ninth project, Brady and I visited the Frisco Senior Center, served a hot breakfast to over 40 seniors, and spent time with the seniors.
Breakfast was generously donated by our partner, Another Broken Egg Café in The Colony.
Why Did We Do This Project?
We wanted to do what we could to help these seniors start their day off in a positive way, and we felt that a hot and delicious breakfast would be a great way to do that. Brady and I were motivated to do this project because we know that oftentimes we can overlook the seniors that we know, so we just wanted to show our appreciation to them for everything they have done throughout their lives for our communities.
Day 8 - Voter Registration Drive
For our eighth project, Brady and I visited the Collin College Frisco Campus and registered students to vote in the 2020 elections. As part of this project, we became deputized voter registrars, had the opportunity to learn more about our elections system, and encouraged students to be more civically engaged.
Why Did We Do This Project?
We know that people our age are not usually as civically engaged as they should be. Voting is one of the most important ways that young people can have a voice, so we wanted to do everything we could to encourage other young people to vote and get involved.
Day 7 - Family Appreciation Day
To wrap up our first week of service, Brady and I individually planned an “appreciation day” for each of our families. The purpose of this day was to spend quality time with the people who play such a significant role in supporting 30 Days of Service and everything we do. Without them, none of this would be possible.
Why Did We Do This Project?
Brady and I wanted to show our families the immense amount of love and gratitude we have for them. We are so thankful for the support they have given us in going on our journey of service and we lean on them so much. But beyond wanting to show our appreciation, we also believe that in order to better your community – you don’t even have to leave your home. We wanted to show young people, especially children, that even doing something special to show appreciation for your family is a way that you can impact and serve the community.
Day 6 - School Supply Donation for HIV/AIDS Impacted Youth
Today, Brady and I purchased school supplies and donated them to youth impacted by HIV/AIDS. School supplies we donated included: markers, pens, folders, spiral notebooks, and scissors.
Why Did We Do This Project?
Having school supplies is very important for ensuring that students can maximize their educational experience. Knowing that this is unfortunately an obstacle for many children, Brady and I wanted to do what we could to help ease this burden for a few families. We also recognized that within this area of significant need, youth affected by HIV/AIDS are particularly undeserved. Because of this, we worked with Dallas Hope Charities to provide school supplies to youth impacted by this disease.
Day 5 - Playground Inspection
Today, Brady and I visited elementary schools in underserved communities and performed an inspection of the playground equipment and surrounding area. We checked these playgrounds for potential hazards and other potential issues that would be dangerous to children. After completing our inspection, we created a report with descriptions and pictures of the issues we found and submitted it to the appropriate officials.
Why Did We Do This Project?
Because of the many responsibilities that school officials have, it can sometimes be easy for potential safety hazards on playgrounds to be overlooked. Although we may not have been able to fix these issues, we knew that even raising awareness about these safety hazards would be helpful and may even protect a child from danger. This is something that anyone can do in their community. For families, this is a great way to teach children to be more aware and observant of hazards.
Day 4 - Donating Meal Bags to the Homeless
For the 4th of July, we prepared meal bags with hot dogs, chips, cookies, and cold water and delivered them to homeless around Downtown Dallas. To help us with this project, Sonic donated 100 hot dogs for our meal bags.
Why Did We Do This Project?
Handing out a simple meal and a cold drink to homeless during the summer months is always a great way to help your community. But since it was the 4th of July, we wanted to give away a special meal for the holiday, so we decided to prepare “cookout-themed” meal bags with hot dogs and chips.
Day 3 - Acts of Kindness
For our third project, Brady and I identified 5 people and local businesses who helped us launch 30 Days of Service or otherwise have supported us. To show our thanks and appreciation, we decided to deliver treats and gift cards from our sponsor, Kenny’s Restaurant Group.
Why Did We Do This Project?
We both realized that there are many people who we interact with on a regular basis who are extremely positive, supportive, and kind to us. Although we always thank them for what we do, we felt the need to really show them how much we appreciate the impact they’ve had on us and how grateful we are for their kindness. We hope that we can encourage everybody to take a moment to do something special for the people who go above and beyond to make our lives a little bit better but can be easy to overlook. Whether it is the nice cashier at your favorite lunch spot, a helpful receptionist, or even the friend who always has your back, let them know that you are grateful for what they do!
Day 2 - Homeless Care Kit Donation Drive & Writing to Congress
Homeless Care Kit Donation Drive
We will be assembling care kits with essential items and donating them to homeless individuals in Downtown Dallas and Fort Worth. To collect items for these care kits, today we launched and promoted a donation drive with one of our partners, VARIDESK.
From 7/2 - 7/15, VARIDESK employees will be able to donate items in collection boxes we have left at their offices.
Why Did We Do This Project?
We wanted to provide homeless individuals with essential items that would be useful through this hot summer. It was important to us to find a way to serve the homeless, as we believe that even small gestures such as these kits can go a long way, especially for those who are so often overlooked.
Writing to Congress
Today, we wrote letters to our state congress representatives about local issues facing our respective communities.
In these letters, we presented information about the issue, why it was meaningful to us, and some ways that the issue could be addressed.
Why Did We Do This Project?
Brady and I want to show other young people that there are ways to better your community even without leaving your home.
Writing to Congress is a simple but impactful that anyone can inspire positive change and make a difference. We hope that this project will encourage other youth to get more engaged in civics and write to their representatives about issues that matter to them.
Day 1 - Reading Program at the Boys and Girls’ Club of Collin County
In partnership with the Boys & Girls Club of Plano, we launched a summer reading program.
As part of this program, we are encouraging children to read at least 15 minutes 10 times during the month of July. Children who read, complete their reading log, and turn it in on Monday July 29th will be invited to a pizza and ice cream party.
To facilitate and encourage the children’s reading, we donated over 40 books to children in the reading program.
Why Did We Do This Project?
Brady and I both believe that reading is incredibly important to every child’s development and education. We think a good book can really make an impact on a child’s life, and so we wanted to find a way that we can encourage children – especially those who may not typically have access to many books – to read.
- Alex Quian
