With a possible career in medicine in his future, Saam Nourouzi is already developing an appreciation for the value of helping people.
The 16-year-old Grade 11 student at Port Moody Secondary recently secured a $1,500 Rising Youth community grant to buy two iPads and five electronic pocket talkers set to help seniors living at Eagle Ridge Manor stay in touch with their loved ones – as well as soccer balls, beach balls and bubble makers to keep young visitors amused at the neighbouring hospital.
Nourouzi said the months of being isolated from his friends and classmates as the COVID-19 pandemic forced schools to conduct lessons online gave him a taste of what some of the elderly residents of the manor must have been going through when outside visitors to the facility were restricted to keep them safe and healthy.
So when he called Eagle Ridge Hospital to see how the money could be spent should his application for the money come through, his heart soared at the idea of acquiring technology that might help ease the feelings of loneliness permeating the manor.
“It’s been tough on all of us but especially for the seniors,” Nourouzi said of the past 21 months of various public health restrictions that have become a daily sacrifice to try to keep the contagion contained.
Rising Youth is a program led by TakingITGlobal, a worldwide initiative that encourages young people to find ways to create a more inclusive, peaceful and sustainable world.
The money for the grants, which can range from $250 to $1,500, is funded by the Canadian government through its Canada Service Corps.
Nourouzi said once he learned of the grant program, he started researching ways the money could help his community. Eagle Ridge Hospital was one of his first calls.
Coming up with the specific need to be addressed and getting the necessary approvals was a more arduous process, requiring dozens of email exchanges.
In the meantime, Nourouzi went shopping.
Looking to maximize the good he could accomplish with the money, he sought out the best deals he could find that allowed him to buy two tablets instead of just one. The electronic pocket talkers are devices that allow staff to communicate better with residents who have difficultly with their hearing.
With the money left over, Nourouzi also acquired the balls and bubble makers.
He said delivering the haul was “heartwarming.”
The experience, Nourouzi said, “helped me understand the importance of selflessness. If we’re fortunate enough to be able to give back, it’s really important to do that.”
And with one such project already under his belt, he’s already secured another $250 grant for the YWCA that will pay for 30 food hampers to be distributed to families in need.
Helping our, Nourouzi said he’s discovered, gets easier every time out.
“It’s very doable,” he said.
For more information about Rising Youth, you can visit the grant program’s website.
