IN A YEAR WHERE volunteering and rising up to help the less fortunate has felt like a common goal, Kenshara Cravens is among those local heroes who have answered the call.
Cravens is the founder of Craving For A Change Foundation, a non-profit organization that has helped both high school-aged students and the elderly for the past two years. Despite the barriers that the pandemic placed upon her goal, Cravens has pressed forward when it comes to positively impacting lives.
“I wanted to create something useful for the community and show our younger students that it’s possible to go out and be successful,” said Cravens, a La Marque High School graduate. “Too often these days, we see so many examples that place a negative light on the kids in the 20community, so we offer a chance to show them a better way.”
Among Cravens’ ways is the Cougar to Cougar scholarship she established for deserving La Marque High School graduates. She has also helped provide students ages 14-20 with the opportunity to learn how to prepare for interviews along with helping them find the right fit for their post-high school path.
Cravens has also invited the likes of author Gwen Richardson to deliver presentations on how students can go to college debt free and has supported the popular #AdoptASenior movement that gives the community a chance to provide a welcomed boost to outgoing senior high school students.
Craving For A Change also works twice a week with the Expected Life class at La Marque High School along with teaming up with the likes of the Khambrel Foundation. The two non-profits teamed up this past Saturday as part of a Caring For Seniors event at The Art of Coffee in La Marque. The event offered free blood pressure checks along with a package-up and a guide that explains the basics of Medicare.
When she is not working with students, Cravens devotes her time to working with the elderly. A caretaker by trade, she has established monthly information sessions to keep her older clientele updated on the changes that impact them.
“COVID-19 has challenged us in that there are a lot of older people who simply do not use technology,” said Cravens. “It has certainly changed how we are able to respond to them, but we have adapted. There is so much going on when it comes to subjects like Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security that we want our older members in the community to understand that going on.
Cravens plans to continue building on the momentum of her first two years as 2021 approaches. “No question about it: I plan on hitting the ground running,” she said.
