BENEVOLENT TEENAGER
Jonah Toth named humanitarian of the year
Jonah Toth’s parents always stressed the importance of giving back to the community and helping others.
This is what led to his first foray into philanthropy in Grade 6, when he helped raise $1,800 for Telemiracle.
Inspired by the potential of small groups to do big things, Toth has committed himself to helping others ever since.
Now 18 years old, he is receiving the Regina Young Humanitarian of the Year award, presented by the Canadian Red Cross, for his efforts.
Announced this week as the winner, Toth will receive his award at the ninth annual Power of Humanity Gala which is set for Oct. 26 in Regina.
“It’s an incredible honour to be recognized,” said Toth.
“I often find the real fulfilment in what I’ve been doing is those connections you have with the people on the other end of it ... and seeing the lives that you’re able to touch and to change,” he continued.
In high school, Toth got involved with WE, a charity and youth empowerment movement. He started a Me to We team at Campbell Collegiate, leading more than 100 members at its peak in philanthropic efforts locally and globally.
Toth said his time leading the Me to We team has been the most memorable work he’s done so far.
“Seeing youth really recognize their potential ... from being a Grade 9 student who wasn’t so sure about their role in the community ... to really true leaders that are now out in the community taking responsibility and making great positive change,” said Toth.
The team participated in the WE Scare Hunger campaign, which has raised just under 5,000 pounds of non-perishable food in the last three years and the Adopt-a-Family campaign through the Salvation Army.
The team raised more than $35,000 in three years, which helped over six hundred families.
In March 2014, they raised more than $12,000 to help build a school in Guang Ming, China and in March 2015 raised approximately $14,000 to build a clean water system in Dao Lazui, China.
In March 2016, the team won the 2015 Young Idealist Award after they raised $11,000 to support community health education projects in India.
Toth was chosen to travel to India in July 2015, as part of the PotashCorp Youth Food Security Trip, where he worked at a build site at an elementary school in Kalthana, India.
Although still involved with WE today, Toth is in the process of launching his own youth empowerment organization called passion2action.
“I’m proud to have played a role in helping empower youth and helping to create that positive change,” said Toth who has already won several other awards for his work, including the Regina National Philanthropy Award and the Sovereign’s Medal for Volunteers.
“Both his mom and dad are very proud of him,” said his father Kevin.
“He’s done most of this work all on his own. He’s self motivated. He always tends to surprise us.” he added.
Toth is currently attending the University of Toronto, where he’s majoring in chemistry and peace, conflict and justice studies and minoring in French as a second language.
He said he isn’t sure what the future holds.
“I have such wide-ranging interests and passions that whether it’s into medicine, or politics or humanitarian efforts internationally ... I’ll see where the path goes,” said Toth.
Both his mom and dad are very proud of him. He’s done most of this work all on his own. He’s self motivated.