Over the four years of doing this podcast, I have had the privilege of learning about some incredible social impact projects that take a unique approach to solving a difficult problem, but my guest today has one of the most interesting stories I've heard. Keshav, a high school junior from Houston Texas, started playing the bagpipes in 2nd grade. After making a connection between lung capacity and the practice of blowing into the bagpipes, he created Pipes for the People to help children and adults who live with cystic fibrosis and other lung diseases.

Learn more at www.pipesforthepeople.com

After the loss of her beloved grandmother, Jiya J. from Texas realized that she missed the warm connection she had with her grandmother, and reached out to local senior centers and nursing homes to find a way to volunteer to paint with the residents. Her nonprofit, Young and Old United, grew out of this personal passion project and has spread across the state of Texas, engaging over 100 student volunteers. Jiya's joy around this work is infectious, and she has some very important things to say about the way that youth changemakers are treated by adult decision makers. I left this conversation inspired and with a huge smile on my face, with an even deeper belief that intergenerational volunteerism is perhaps the most powerful type of service that can benefit our communities.

Learn more at www.youngandoldunited.org or follow @youngandoldunited

Reading opens doors and provides opportunities, and for young people who find themselves in the hospital, research shows that books can boost positive emotions and oxytocin levels, while lowering stress hormones. My guests today, Sanvi and Sumedha from the Chicago area, understood the many benefits of reading and launched The Bookmark Project, a book collection and distribution effort, to empower young people and to spread literacy in their own community and around the world in places like Africa and India. They have collected and donated 41,000 books, and counting. The Bookmark Project is a youth-driven literacy initiative focused on building community and increasing access to books across the globe.

Follow and learn more @tbp_il