Project “I am “was started by a nine year old Jahkil Jackson in Chicago. Jackson helped his aunt distribute cans of food to the homeless in Chicago which sparked his own idea. The I Am project is a non-profit and shares a goal to help to the homeless in the world that are in need to his coined terms as ‘Blessing Bags.’ These consisted of deodorant, wipes, toothbrushes, toothpaste, bottled water, granola bars and more. Jackson’s small business quickly grew, and he has impacted more than 50,o00 lives of the homeless around the world. Atlanta, Virginia, Los Angeles, Washington D.C., and Idaho and many more states in the U.S. have been greatly impacted by his generosity and care. There has also been a worldly impact where the blessing bags have been sent to many countries in Africa, and South America for special relief packages after natural disasters.
Jackson is really emphasizing the need for donations that go towards project I Am, so they can continue to make an impact around the world. He encourages everyone to be able to see the importance of helping out can make in your community.
While Jackson had a lot of help from his family in the idea of helping others, he took that idea and pivoted to make a bigger idea. This is very inspiring, because Jackson saw that there was a need for the homeless that was unfulfilled. Instead of just handing out money, Jackson knew he wanted to make a real life impact by giving them the opportunity for staying healthy and clean as they go through difficult times. Jackson was acknowledged by former president, Barack Obama as well for his efforts in 2017 and featured on Cartoon-Network and many other platforms. This helped a lot with networking and getting his message out there for the public to understand the mission.
It is always encouraging to here about young kids who are determined to make a difference. Jackson probably doesn’t even think of himself as an entrepreneur because he is so young. Yet he is making such a big difference in people life in his community and even reaching further out. I think Jackson has the heart of an entrepreneur and with that he can do so many great things in his life.
I see Jackson as not only a true role model for the younger generation but also to anyone older than him who hasn’t been able to quite figure out innovation/entrepreneurship yet. The thing about kids that start out these ventures is they aren’t necessarily always focused on profit or the business as they are about giving back to the community and making a true impact. A great read and Jackson has a bright future ahead of him with such a big heart!