This charity gives teens $1k to donate to someone in need

LONG BEACH, Calif. (KABC) -- If you had $1,000 to donate, who would you give it to?

That's the question being posed by the VING Project, a nonprofit organization that is dishing out $1,000 checks to teens to donate to someone that they know who needs a boost.

"We really reached out to teens and said, 'You be the eyes and ears and you tell us the great people in your life that are doing all good things, trying to make, you know, ends meet and could use a boost of $1,000,'" said Liz Lefkofsky, founder of The VING Project.

Liz and Eric Lefkofsky launched the national movement six years ago.

"It's not easy to distribute money directly to people," said Lefkofsky. "It's much easier to give money to big organizations, because you don't know necessarily the people directly that needs to help."

The VING Project asks teens, between the ages of 14 to 18, to identify an adult in their life who could use financial assistance in a video nomination.

"The person I nominate is my boyfriends' mother," said Ana Linares from Long Beach. "I believe she should get this because she has six kids. She struggles to keep up with rent. She recently got laid off at her job because of the pandemic."

Linares, 17, was selected by VING. She surprised her boyfriend's mother with the $1,000 check.

"I think you should always give because giving is really important and at this time," Linares said. "We should all work together and make each other feel safe."

The Lefkofsky's said they have donated more than $300,000 since March and plan to double that amount within the next 60 days.

"While all these kids are home from school, confused and not sure what was going on, I think this is a great opportunity for teenagers to stop for a moment and have a way to help during this really difficult time," Lefkofsky said.

For more information on the VING Project, visit their website.

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