“Growing up in a wealthy suburb, helping others rarely crossed my mind. Everyone around me had everything they needed and poverty was a foreign concept to me. Last summer, my perspective shifted drastically. I was part of a team that spent the summer teaching orphans in Uganda. Meeting all of these amazing children whose lives have been torn apart by AIDS and poverty opened my eyes to the way the rest of world lives. How can we, the wealthiest people in the world, turn our backs on these beautiful, wonderful children? Why are we entitled to such riches when they have nothing? I pray every night for those children I hope that other Americans will realize just how vital it is that we help them. They don’t dream of riches. They simply want to know that they will have food to eat and parents to care for them. Surely with our many blessings, we can help them see their dreams come true.”
 
-Melissa Gilbert, member of The ONE Campaign, Atlanta, Georgia 

Check back each day for the next two weeks for more ONE members’ stories. And if you haven’t already, send in your story.