Missing out on a major milestone in your life is never easy, but Logan Lin turned disappointment into joy for other kids.
The Virginia teen was supposed to celebrate her bat mitzvah in December.
“After I found out that I wouldn’t be able to actually get the normal bat mitzvah and the service in front of all my friends and family and my synagogue, I was pretty disappointed and upset,” Lin told WTOP’s Melissa Howell.
“But while I was upset, I realized that there are kids in these hospitals, especially right now during COVID, that don’t get the privilege of getting to see even a few people or getting to have fun at all. And they’re suffering a lot more than I am. So I decided to try and turn my bat mitzvah into something for them instead.”
She focused her efforts on raising money by spreading the word and creating a fundraiser.
“I made a post on my mom’s Facebook account, asking people to just donate however much they thought they could. And I was setting a goal of $2,000,” Lin said.
And she reached it.
After raising the $2,000, Lin found a link on the website for Inova Children’s Hospital in Fairfax County that took her to an Amazon wish list.
“I ordered entertainment and toys and arts and crafts for them all to be delivered to them by the holiday so they can have like Christmas presents or Hanukkah presents,” she said.
“It felt really good, just knowing that I could give back during the holidays and knowing that there were kids who they would get to have some fun and not have to be stuck in a room all day long.”
Because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, Lin was not able to visit the kids who got her presents or see them open them.
“But I did get in touch with one woman who told me that they were so happy. And they received all of the gifts safely. And they all enjoyed them,” she said.
Lin added that it’s not hard to give back.
“And it gives you a nice feeling that just knowing you could do something for someone else, and that you can turn disappointment into doing something for others, and just feeling happy,” she said.
Lin plans to do more donations in the future, including for an animal charity.
“I’m just really grateful. And I think it’s a good thing to let other people know how easy it is to give back to the community.”
WTOP’s Melissa Howell contributed to this report.
This article is part of WTOP’s TOP Kids program, where kids in the D.C. area are recognized for the amazing things they do. The winners are awarded $500. The program is sponsored by Northwest Federal Credit Union. Nominate a TOP Kid you know here, and view other winners here.
