Paying it Forward and Paying Tuition for Young Fort Salonga Philanthropist

An investment in the community is also an investment in yourself. Just ask Kevin Chaves.

Chaves, a Kings Park High School senior from Fort Salonga, was recently awarded a $1,000 scholarship from Kohl's Department Store for his fundraising and volunteerism efforts around Suffolk County. Over the past few months, he's also been awarded a Hugh O'Brien Youth Leadership award, and received a $1,000 scholarship through the DoSomething.org PB&J Jam Slam Challenge.

An Eagle Scout with Troop 539 in Kings Park, Kevin takes leadership and community very seriously and has worked extensively in supporting the Gerald J. Ryan Outreach Center in Wyandanch after one of their buildings burned down in 2007. 

Over the course of five months, Kevin organized car washes and food drives all over town with the help of other troop members to raise enough money to rebuild and restock the center's burned down food pantry. 

Chaves raised more than $10,000 for the center and secured 11,000 pounds of donated canned goods through his Have-A-Heart-Help-Stop-Hunger campaign and fundraising events, including an annual motorcycle rally. He continues to work with the outreach center and most recently launched a campaign to provide books for the center.