When Jaxson Turner launched his nonprofit charity, Never 2 Young 2 Care, he was just 10 years old. He had seen homeless families on the streets of his Collin County community and decided he wanted to help. He told his mother that instead of receiving presents for his 11th birthday, he wanted to feed the homeless a hot Easter meal.
“My mom said, ‘Well, I don’t have the money for that’. So, we reached out to the community, starting with social media, going with flyers door to door, windshield to windshield, to local businesses.”
Ultimately, Turner and his mother, LaKeicee, raised $12,500 and fed 250 people. One of LaKeicee’s attorney friends encouraged them to apply for 501(c)(3) status and become an official nonprofit.
More than six years later, Turner continues to run his charity with the help of family and volunteers. N2Y2C has expanded to hosting four annual projects. The Easter Meal event is the first of the year, followed by a domestic violence awareness event, where collected donations are made each Saturday in May to a chosen domestic violence shelter.
For a back-to-school event, N2Y2C sells lemonade to raise money for backpacks, school supplies, and haircuts for children in need. The final project of the year, the Christmas event, requires months preparation, collecting donations and fundraising for items gifts. To celebrate the holidays, N2Y2C hosts an annual party at the Shelter Samaritan Inn, providing hot meals, haircuts, arts and crafts, and a visit from Santa.
“I just got inspired by the people around me and the care that they showed to me, so I wanted to show it to others who may not be able to receive that,” Turner says. “I grew up in my great-grandparent’s church; my great-grandpa is the pastor and bishop of the church. He has just been an inspiration, and he’s always been by my side.”
In recognition of his efforts, Turner was featured on the Kelly Clarkson show in 2021, where he was called a “real-life Santa.” His appearance came about thanks to the efforts of McKinney Mayor George Fuller, who has been supporting Turner’s charities from the start.
Turner’s work also has been recognized by former President Barack Obama and Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings. Last month, he won the Emerging Leader category at D CEO’s Nonprofit & Corporate Citizenship Awards.
“That was honestly the best experience, just being able to walk on that stage, getting so many congratulations and hoping to spread the joy and inspire others to want to help their communities,” he says.
Turner is known for his signature accessory—a bright green bow tie—which he has sported since he was a child. Green is his favorite color, and he thinks the bow tie is a fitting look given his goal of becoming President of the United States someday.
Along with helping the less fortunate who directly benefit from N2Y2C, Turner says one of his goals is getting other young people to volunteer in their communities. When he heads to college to pursue a career in law, he wants to pass along N2Y2C to other young leaders in North Texas.
“Whenever you’re starting a charity or helping out in your community, find someone who is going to be your structure and grow with you and support you along the way,” Turner advises. “One thing to remember is that you’re not always going to get a ‘yes.’ There’s going to be a couple of no’s, but keep pursuing your goal, your dream, or whatever you want to achieve.”
To learn more about N2Y2C, click here.
Author
