Honored for helping the hungry

Efforts with Teens Fighting Hunger program bring recognition to program and its young founder, Amy Carlton

By Cliff Newell

The Lake Oswego Review, Jun 24, 2009, Updated Oct 30, 2009 (1 Reader comment)

CLIFF NEWELL / Lake Oswego Review

Amy Carlton of Lake Oswego displays the earrings and greeting cards that have helped Teens Fighting Hunger raise $45,000 in just two years.

Because Teens Fighting Hunger has been such a remarkable success, its founder Amy Carlton has received a remarkable honor.

The Lake Oswego High School junior was recently awarded a $5,000 scholarship by the Sodexo Foundation’s STOP Hunger program.

Even better, Carlton was awarded a $5,000 matching grant, which she immediately plowed right back into Teens Fighting Hunger.

“It was such a great surprise when I got the letter from Sodexo,” Amy said. “I told my mom, ‘You’ll never believe this.”

“I never thought Amy would be recognized in such a great way,” mom Debbie admitted.

However, Amy has been surpassing expectations with Teens Fighting Hunger ever since she started the nonprofit organization two years ago as a high school freshman.

As it started out, she only wanted to sell some earrings. Amy had taken some of her work to school and was immediately paid high compliments and given the advice, “You could sell them.” There was the potential to make a lot of money for herself.

Then, her parents Steve and Debbie Carlton stepped in.

Debbie Carlton said, “We told Amy it would be really nice if she could use the money from selling the earrings for some organization or cause that she was really passionate about.”

Amy soon found one. While doing research on a freshman history class project she came across a statistic that stunned her.

“I read that 13 million children go hungry every day in this country,” Amy said. “In the richest country in the world.

“I thought I could make an impact by selling my earrings.”

Once her parents devised a business plan for her, Amy was on her way — lining up little kids, big kids and adults for Teens Fighting Hunger. They raised money by selling earrings, greeting cards and other nifty gifts. Amy was easily able to find a lot of talent.

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