What happens when a 16-year-old decides to stop waiting and start serving? We sit down with Ella Shabazian, the founder of Ella’s Angels, to unpack how a small idea—help more people now—grew into a youth-led nonprofit feeding hundreds, funding scholarships, and delivering care to veterans and children’s hospitals. Ella shares the mindset shift that moved her from talking to doing, the obstacles she faced as a young founder, and the systems she built to keep momentum while juggling school, varsity tennis, and college classes.

You’ll hear the inside story of a Thanksgiving meal drive that doubled two days before launch, the phone calls and community partnerships that made it work, and the quiet moment that defined it: a final gift card handed to a mother who arrived after the meals were gone. We also dig into her $500 scholarships for students heading to trade school or college, and her upcoming Valentine’s for Veterans event in Glendale—complete with handwritten notes to honor service with sincerity, not slogans. Along the way, Ella explains how to recruit teen volunteers, earn respect as a young leader, and turn discomfort into growth.

Ella’s impact doesn’t stop at events. She’s a published author of two practical guides—one on teen financial literacy and another on knowing your rights—that fill gaps school often leaves open. If you’re a parent searching for ways to spark purpose, or a student wondering where to start, this conversation offers a clear playbook: find a mentor, pick one concrete project, ask for help, and act today. Subscribe for more stories of service-driven leadership, share this with a young changemaker in your life, and leave a review to help others discover the show.

Ella's Angels Main: https://ellasangels.org

Check out our website: www.themorningformation.com

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