Haile Thomas founded the HAPPY Organization when she was just 12 years old. Around 2008, Haile’s dad was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes. Her mom immediately began avidly researching health and holistic healing with the hopes of finding a way for her husband to avoid taking medication. They were all worried about the many dangerous side effects of Diabetes drugs. Haile began watching nutrition documentaries and cooking vegan based meals with her mom. Fortunately, their efforts paid off and her father’s health greatly increased.

Haile recognized how much healthy eating improved her father’s life, and developed a passion for educating others who were her age on the subject. She believed that if people had a better grasp of how food choices impact overall health when they were young, they would develop smart eating habits and avoid preventable diseases like Type 2 Diabetes as they get older. In 2013, she created the Healthy Active Positive Purposeful Youth (HAPPY) Organization with the help of her mother. The purpose of this organization is to motivate kids to live healthy lifestyles.  It is especially geared towards children living in poor, underprivileged communities.

The HAPPY Organization puts on informational workshops, cooking lessons, and summer camps for kids ages 6-13. Haile and her mom travel full time to carry out these programs across America, and have recently expanded their services internationally. They also have a website that gives people the opportunity to donate their time, money, or resources to the cause. The website also has a store for apparel and accessories that promote the HAPPY Organization. It is sponsored by multiple well known corporations including Walgreens, Cliff Bar, and Morton. The success of this nonprofit organization has given Halie countless speaking opportunities, the most significant being at the White House which she was formally invited to by the First Lady Michelle Obama. Haile Thomas’s story is inspiring because it displays how no one is too young to make a difference. She found her passion at very young age and took action immediately, ultimately leading to the HAPPY Organization making a great impact on the lives of other kids like her.