ST. LOUIS — At an age when most teens are focused on TikTok and texting, Legacy Jackson is busy transforming her community, one kind act at a time. The 15-year-old St. Louis teen has created a movement that's turning kids into volunteers and proving that giving back can actually be fun.
Her impact is immediately visible in the vibrant play space at Gateway 180, St. Louis's largest emergency shelter for families. But Legacy's story of giving started long before this latest project, back when she could barely see over a dinner table.
While other kids were learning their ABCs, Legacy was getting an early education in compassion. "Every Christmas morning we would go out and feed the homeless before we got to go home and open our gifts," Legacy recalls. "Any opportunity that mom really saw for me and my brother to do community service."
But the tiny volunteer noticed something that bothered her – at every service project, there were no other children helping.
Her persistent questioning became a running joke with her mom, Kynedra Ogunnaike. "It was very annoying, because every time she's like, 'there are no kids here.' And I knew like before we even got there, she's gonna be complaining about the kids," Ogunnaike said.
That observation led to a dinner table conversation that would change countless lives. At just seven years old, Legacy proposed a simple but revolutionary idea: "To have community service or do community service while having fun."
That dinner table dream became "Little Legacies," where young volunteers learn that giving back can be a celebration. From delivering teddy bears to cancer patients to brightening days at senior centers, Legacy has created opportunities for kids to experience the joy of helping others.
Her ideas have proven so powerful that she became Missouri's youngest TED Talk speaker, sharing her message alongside world-changing adults. But her most tangible impact might be at Gateway 180, where she transformed a worn-down play space into a haven of happiness.
"You don't necessarily equate a homeless shelter with joy, but that's what Legacy brought," said Gateway 180 Director Kathy Connors.
The effect on other young people has been profound. "If you're down, she would like look you up and make you laugh... just to be around her, she's so uplifting," says 12-year-old friend Amaya Mason. Another young volunteer, 13-year-old Trenton Fitz, admits, "I wanted to be just like her some days."
Despite her achievements, Legacy remains remarkably humble. When asked about avoiding applause, she simply says, "I just feel like I'm just doing what I'm supposed to be doing."
"I think she was born to help. I think she was born to inspire others to do for others, serve for others," observes parent Teresa Fitz.
As laughter echoes through the Gateway 180 play space, it's clear that Legacy Jackson is living up to her name – building her legacy one smile at a time.
Want to help? Join Little Legacies Community Service Organization on Facebook to learn more about upcoming volunteer opportunities.
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