Jahkil Naeem Jackson is a 16-year-old boy who has an inspiring desire to help people in need. When he was younger, he helped his aunt minister to homeless men and women in Chicago by providing food and a few other necessities to them. It was through this experience that he decided he wanted to do something really impactful to help the homeless. So, at just 8 years old, Jahkil founded Project I Am, an organization that works to raise awareness of homelessness and help the unhoused population through providing what Jahkil calls “Blessing Bags,” which are filled with bottled water, toiletries, socks, and other necessities. Jahkil is now 16 and a 2-time bestselling author, and Project I Am is more successful than ever, having served over 135,000 people in the unhoused population.

Jahkil has received numerous accolades and awards for his philanthropy and influence, including being named a Youth Ambassador for Heartland Alliance and added to the WE International Youth Council. Most importantly though, Jahkil was noted as one of the three most influential people of 2017 by Barack Obama. These are incredible accomplishments for a 16-year-old and the impact that Jahkil is having on homeless people of all ages is enormous. Overall, Jahkil has the drive, compassion, and creativity of a true entrepreneur and is an inspiring figure in the area of social innovation.

If you want to learn more about Jahkil or the mission of Project I Am, visit the website here.