- [Narrator] Funding for this edition of Think Tank with Steve Adubato has been provided by The Russell Berrie Foundation.

Making a difference.

The New Jersey Education Association.

Holy Name.

PSEG Foundation.

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

Working to create a future where health is no longer a privilege, but a right.

New Jersey Institute of Technology.

NJIT makes industry ready professionals in all STEM fields.

The North Ward Center.

EJI, Excellence in Medicine Awards.

A New Jersey health foundation program.

And by Myron and Elaine Adler private foundation, in support of the Adler Aphasia Center.

Promotional support provided by NJ.Com.

Keeping communities informed and connected.

And by BestofNJ.com.

All New Jersey in one place.

[MOTIVATIONAL MUSIC] - Hi, everyone.

Steve Adubato.

Welcome to a very important and impactful "Think Tank" panel discussion about making a difference.

These are Gen Z leaders making a difference, and it's our honor and cooperation with the folks at the Russ Berrie Foundation to introduce them.

First, Emma Joy, who's been with us before, is the co-founder of Girls Helping Girls Period.

We'll talk about the organization and its work in just a moment.

Also, the 2021 Russ Berrie Making a Difference Winner.

Emma, great have you with us.

- Nice to see you again, Steve.

- You got it.

And you've got two other great leaders with you.

Trinity Jagdeo who is the founder of From We Can't To We Can, 2024 Russ Berrie Making a Difference.

Trinity, we'll ask you a little bit how you came up with such an interesting and important title to the organization.

- Thank you.

- And finally, joining us for the first time, Mark Leschinksky who is the founder of an executive director of the Student World Impact Film Festival, 2025 Russ Berrie Making a Difference Winner.

Thank you all for joining us.

We appreciate it.

Emma, lemme start with you.

A minute or less, describe the organization.

And PS, we're gonna keep putting up the website for the Russ Berrie Organization.

Nomination, gotta be 16 to 24, Gen Z'ers, impact in New Jersey, impact on individuals in New Jersey, making a difference.

Real quick on this, I'll say it a couple times.

Nominations open January, January 1st, right, team?

Into February 13th is when they close.

You have about six weeks to do it.

Nominate someone making a difference, Gen Z leaders.

Emma, describe the organization.

- Yeah, so Girls Helping Girls Period is a menstrual health equity nonprofit that I started about 10 years ago with my family.

We just saw a need in our community that SNAP benefits or any sort of government aid program does not cover menstrual health products.

So we learned this and started to collect tampons and pads that then turned into a nonprofit organization.

And to date, we've collected 5 million products and run advocacy workshops across Essex County to promote free tampons and pads being in schools across New Jersey.

- Excellent.

And each individual's organization or nonprofit is gonna be highlighted to find out more.

Trinity, go, all yours.

The title, where's it come from?

- We Can't to We Can was created because of my best friend that has spinal muscular atrophy.

We've been best friends for almost 20 years, and I started writing books that feature real kids with disabilities as superheroes.

We also host inclusive events on top of gifting free medical equipment to children who have been denied insurance.

And so the name comes from showing that people believe that people with disabilities can't, and we're showing them that they can.

- Mark, you're on.

- Yeah, first, thank you for having me.

I founded the Student World Impact Film Festival, and our mission is to make sure that every young person around the world has a platform to express themselves and be heard.

We run an annual film festival where we host 22,000 young filmmakers from over 149 countries.

- That's awesome.

Again, go on their websites to find out more.

Emma, let's do this.

I'm curious.

I just told you that we have three young people, our daughter and our two sons who are in the age bracket that you're talking about, Gen Z'ers if you will.

What would you say, not just to them, but to every young person, family member of a younger person about what you believe, A, it takes to make a difference and, B, more importantly, why everyone has to make a difference and what folks should do?

- Yeah, great.

I think what it takes to make a difference is really leaning on a community of people, especially in the nonprofit world.

We can't really operate without our community of partners and people who all come together to make it happen.

So a lot of times a young person that's looking to make a difference can really just find an outlet through one community, and that will connect you to so many other organizations that you can then work at and feel inspired by.

Food banks are a great way to do this because they're connected to so many different partner organizations.

So if you can get connected with your local food bank, nine times out of 10, they can also connect you to somebody else that is an organization that is in your wheelhouse.

- Let me follow up real quick with you on that, Emma, and then I'll come to Trinity and Mark on the same thing.

When you were starting Girls Helping Girls Period, did you ever envision that it would become what it's become, meaning when you first started... 'Cause you have to walk... If someone says, "I wanna run a marathon," my response is, "Why don't you walk around the block first?

Get it started."

When you were getting it started, how challenging was that?

- Yeah, 100%, we did not know that it was going to be turning into what it did.

It actually started with a party that we hosted at my house where we collected products, and the issue really nationally hadn't taken off yet.

So people weren't aware that menstrual health was something that one in four people who are menstruating do face struggles with, with period poverty.

And so we just did that initial collection, and there were so many people that kept telling us they were inspired by what we did, and it just kind of spiraled from there.

And of course there are always challenging experiences with doing self-starting business and stuff like that, but I really feel like we leaned on a community of people who all cared about this problem and all wanted to support in any way that they could.

One of the initial things that we, kind of roadblock we faced was where are we going to store all the products that we collect?

And it was a lot.

So our original shipment was a pallet, a huge truck of 100,000 products that came in, and we had nowhere to put them.

- Hold on a second.

I mean you keep talking about products, period-related products.

- Yes, so tampons and pads.

Yes, menstrual products.

- I'm sorry.

Go ahead.

Good clarification.

And we had nowhere to store them.

And so we put an ask out to the community, and it was actually my old softball coach that donated... He owned a bank and he donated the basement of his bank to us to use as storage for our products.

And it just like kinda kept spiraling from there, and took off after that.

- It's interesting.

Trinity, as you listen to Emma, a lot of it is asking, is leading a nonprofit, is making a difference beyond your own passion or commitment?

How much of it is it about, Trinity, asking others to help make a difference?

- That's honestly a part of it.

I always think about what it means to have a nonprofit organization, and it is seriously the support from other people that make it possible to be able to impact so many people in our community.

So it is about asking, but it also gives the opportunity for so many other people to be helping something bigger than themselves.

- And Trinity, you've told our producers that there's a lack of disability representation.

What does that mean and why is it so important?

- If you look at mainstream media, like if you think of Disney and things like that, there's not a main character with a disability.

You now see side characters, you might see somebody in a wheelchair, but it's still very minor roles.

So there is a lack of representation of disabled characters in the entertainment industry.

And so we try to combat that representation statistic with creating our children's books.

- Talk to folks right now, Gen Z folks if you will, about... Okay, let me play devil's advocate.

Someone says, "Come on, How much difference can I make?

I'm one person.

Seriously, you got these three superstars who are doing these amazing things who win the Russ Berrie Award?

I'm not like them.

I'm just a regular 17-year-old and I'm trying to get out of high school and figure out where I'm going to college and survive.

You want me to make a difference?"

Talk to them, please, Trinity, - That's kind of my specialty because I always encourage people that impact does not equate to quantity.

It doesn't mean it has to be big scale.

It doesn't mean it has to be an entire nonprofit organization.

Impacts can be as simple as sitting next to somebody and encouraging them.

It can be as simple as helping somebody out that needs help but while you're out in public.

Those smaller things is the foundation of who I am and the nonprofit itself.

And it started out with when no one was looking, what was I doing?

I was with kids with disabilities.

I was playing with them.

I was taking time out of my recess to go and support them.

And those were just small things.

I had no clue that it would eventually equate to a nonprofit organization.

So it's that small impact of not letting our current circumstances define us.

I was 17 years old.

I was in high school.

I had all these reasons to think the same thing of "I can't make an impact.

I'm next to nothing right now."

or things like that that felt like I was not able to make an impact.

But it was those small things that eventually led to a large ripple.

- So, and ripple.

Angelica very often talks about the ripples.

- Right?

- Yes.

- The ripples, it spreads, it makes a difference.

And Mark, let me ask you, as you listen to your two colleagues, The website's up.

Nominate.

Nominate a Gen Z leader making a difference.

We have from January 1st to February 13th is when nominations close.

So pick it up here.

As you listen to your colleagues, Mark.

Let folks know why you have been so inspired and why this is so personal and passionate for you.

Please.

- Yes.

I think that young people have an incredible opportunity and a difference to change the world.

It's so inspiring for me to listen to my peers talk about the incredible work they're doing and talk about the problems that we face as a society, and I think that because we do face so many issues and there are always many more things we can do to improve the world, one of the ways we can address those problems is through our expression and through our art and film.

And I've heard from so many young people in Brazil, in China, in France- - You were just in Germany, weren't you?

- Yes, I was.

Yes.

- I'm sorry for interrupting.

Why were you there and what happened when you were there?

- It's wonderful.

I love traveling the world and speaking to people about the power of film.

I was speaking at Boehringer Ingelheim in a conference about how young people can utilize filmmaking to make a difference and change the world.

Because, at the end of the day, each of us cares about so many different issues and it can feel overwhelming and even too much all at once.

Young people face problems on a daily basis and many people around us often feel that we can't do much about it, but we can.

I wanna tell young people and students that we can make a difference and we can use our expressive talents, and our filmmaking, and our craft, and our storytelling skills to talk about the issues that we care deeply about and work toward making a difference in making a change.

- Let me push you a little bit more on that, Mark.

Give us one concrete example of a film / story being told through film that you believe has, is making a difference.

- Of course.

We once had a film at the Student World Impact Film Festival from a girl in Brazil.

And her movie was about the fact that young people around her who are also filmmakers struggle to find film festivals and places to share their movies and express themselves.

Her film was about the struggle of making films, and she explained that, in Brazil in particular, there are not enough film festivals to even capture all the student works that exist in this country.

And she has to look toward other places and other countries and online festivals to use her platform to showcase her work.

Her film was about documenting these struggles that she and many of her peers had faced.

It was really touching for me because I realized that the work that the student World Impact Film Festival is doing is important in so far as it helps people across the world, no matter the country, have an accessible platform to showcase their work, and it enables them to have a place where they feel safe and secure in showing their work and expressing themselves.

- Good stuff.

I'm gonna follow up with all three of you on this.

So, leadership.

I'm a student of leadership.

I'm also fascinated by leading nonprofits.

We've led a nonprofit for over 30 years, more years than any one of you have been on this earth, and that's not a criticism, just an observation.

But I still find, as the leader of a nonprofit, that raising money... And PS, to fully disclose, if it were not for the Russ Berrie Foundation, for many years, we would not be able to do this series, "Making a Difference."

So raising money continues to be the number one challenge for me as a not-for-profit leader.

For you, Emma, what is the number one challenge and is it money?

- It can be money sometimes, but honestly right now the number one challenge is the administration that we're currently facing.

A lot of our clientele or our students in our workshops are facing real world problems, and SNAP coverage is changing day to day.

So there are a lot of times where their families cannot afford to be putting food on the table, let alone to buy menstrual products to manage their periods.

So right now our advocacy efforts are the biggest thing that we're pushing towards working on currently.

- Hold on one second.

I'm sorry for interrupting.

You don't mean... This isn't a political thing for you.

It's a human thing.

- Oh, it's a human thing for sure.

It's a matter of human dignity and health rights, and that we believe that every person has the right to be able to care for their menstruation and their bodies in an appropriate and safe way.

And right now in our country, there is no means to do that.

We always equate, if you go into any public restroom, you can expect that there's toilet paper in that restroom for free, but you should also be able to expect that there will be menstrual products in that restroom, and right now there are not.

- I remember when you joined us last time I asked you this question.

I wanna do it again.

So for folks who are watching going, "Yeah, and so what's the problem?

What's the impact of that?"

Explain to folks the devastating impact it could have.

- Yes, so there's a lot of health issues that come from not being able to manage your period in an appropriate and cleanly way.

And a lot of that also translates to self-esteem issues and issues that face around stigma and menstruating.

So we find that about 40% of teens who are unable to afford products that they can properly care for there, it also affects self-esteem issues as well.

And so empowerment is a big part of taking control and ownership over your period, and that of course starts with having access to products that you can then use.

- Well said.

Trinity, the number one leadership challenge you face as a not-for-profit leader would be?

- I definitely have to agree with Emma.

Our current administration affects the communities that we're serving.

Our families with disabilities already struggle heavily with the approval of insurance coverage.

And so with the healthcare and the way things are going right now, in addition to SNAP benefits, it feels like our children with disabilities are facing a lot of more struggles than they really should in the first place.

So I absolutely agree with Emma.

I couldn't honestly agree anymore because when things like that happen with the government, nonprofits are the first in line to be able to support our communities, and it's just goes to show how important smaller nonprofits are.

Because when other resources are seized up, communities are looking at us to step up.

And so it definitely is a shift because you have to be able to be agile and you have to be able to be able to pivot and support our communities where they need it the most.

So I'm grateful to be able to do that.

I definitely think that funding obviously does affect that and is still a challenge with any nonprofit because I don't think there would be enough money in the world to be able to really solve all the issues of the communities that you serve.

So that's always gonna be an issue, but it hurts even more when the current things are affecting your families even more.

'Cause we're already serving a need, but the need becomes greater when you have to fight against these things.

So.

Definitely.

- Finish the point.

I'm sorry.

I was gonna make it clear that while it doesn't solve all the money problems, the Russ Berrie Making a Difference Award is a cash award.

I just wanna be clear.

That goes to nonprofit.

But I cut you off.

I apologize, Trinity.

- No, I was just saying it definitely affects what we're doing and how we're doing it because obviously, again, we have plans to already solve the issues that we are combating, but it just adds a layer of difficulty for not only for our families but for how we're serving them.

- By the way, go on the website right now, the russberriemakingadifference.org website.

anywhere from the ages of 16 to 24.

Nominations open, beginning of January 2026 and also close on February 13th, 2026.

Who are we talking about?

Talking about a younger person making a difference in the lives of an individual in New Jersey and their larger community.

It could be anyone.

And I've been doing, I've been hosting, emceeing the Making a Difference Awards for 30 years, as long as it's been around, 29 years going into the 30th.

And I will tell you, I've been blown away by the heroism.

As Russ Berrie used to say, these are our unsung heroes.

It's not always the leader who, excuse me, makes a difference by doing something heroic and very public that's in the media, and sometimes it is.

It's people who you're seeing right now, who saw a need, who see a need, and instead of complaining about it, they decide to try to make a difference.

So in that regard, Mark, let me ask you.

Number one leadership challenge you have as a not-for-profit leader would be.

- Yeah, I'd have to agree with you, Steve.

One of the early challenges we faced is raising grants.

And over time, we contacted companies and we started to make more partnerships.

And more and more as we grew, we were able to overcome that challenge.

The Russ Berrie Award certainly was extraordinarily helpful in the fundraising process.

And to this day, we have also fundraised over $200,000 from corporate sponsors like Google and Microsoft, and these are the kinds of opportunities that are really incredible for us.

And it is a difficulty that we faced early on, but we are excited and proud that, over time, we've been able to overcome this, and it continues to be something that we really enjoy doing.

We enjoy working with corporate partners to raise money because, at the end of the day, when everyone works together and if things are being done, then that's when the most impact happens.

When funding is being provided, when resources are being transferred, then really we can make an incredible difference on the world and work together to make the world a better place.

- Well said by all of you.

In the few minutes we have left, I just wanna say something.

Over 30 years ago, plus, 31 years ago, 32 years ago, when we started this not-for-profit media production company, and we don't clearly make the difference that the three leaders we have on now are making, but the desire to make a difference was to have meaningful programming seen by as many people as possible about important issues, important challenges, important leaders who are trying to address those issues, address those challenges.

And sometimes the challenge when you do something like that, to raise money and bringing corporate and foundation support... I won't be on my soapbox here, but I'll say this.

It's easier sometimes for an entrepreneur starting a business where it's popular right out of the box because what they're selling or pushing and raising money for is an easy sale.

Sometimes more complex problems and challenges as a not-for-profit leader, it's not that easy to sell.

And I know that I'm speaking to three people who know it well.

So here's the last question.

Finish this sentence, Emma.

The greatest satisfaction I get from making a difference at Girls Helping Girls Period is... - Seeing our family's faces when they receive a year's full of menstrual products in one bag.

That's a huge burden that's lifted off their shoulders, and you can see the impact on their face, and most of the time they wanna give you a really big hug and just express how thankful they are.

- What's that like for you?

- It's extremely fulfilling and inspiring, honestly, to keep doing work and really to keep motivating the younger generation to continue this project on.

- That's why we're asking people to go on the website right now, which is up as we speak.

Trinity, go, your greatest satisfaction is... - Hearing parents say, "We don't know what we would've done without this."

Just to be able to watch our families go from not having medical equipment to be able to have the medical equipment that they've either been denied for or on a wait list for, it's the most rewarding feeling in the world.

And I always tell people that it's always quality over quantity.

And if we were to grow at a massive size, but we would lose our quality, I wouldn't ever take that up.

- Well said.

Mark, greatest satisfaction.

- Empowering young people in six continents to make the world a better place through the arts.

- So I'm gonna say this.

The greatest satisfaction I have in doing this work is to feature young people like yourselves who've decided to make a difference, but it doesn't end there.

You joined us because you want others to make a difference.

Last time, I'm gonna say it in this particular program.

Go on the website.

Nominate someone who's making a difference.

16 to 24, making a difference in the state of New Jersey with people, individuals who have a need.

January 1st to February 13th is when nominations close.

go on the site, make a difference yourself by nominating someone, gen Z if you will, making a difference.

To all of you, I cannot thank you enough for joining us.

You are the leaders of tomorrow and give us reason to be hopeful.

Thanks so much.

- Thanks for having us.

- Thank you, Steve.

- Oh, you got it.

I'm Steve Adubato.

Those are three amazing leaders making a difference.

We'll see you next time.

- [Narrator] Think Tank with Steve Adubato is a production of the Caucus Educational Corporation.

Funding has been provided by The Russell Berrie Foundation.

The New Jersey Education Association.

Holy Name.

PSEG Foundation.

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

New Jersey Institute of Technology.

The North Ward Center.

EJI, Excellence in Medicine Awards.

A New Jersey health foundation program.

And by the Adler Aphasia Center.

Promotional support provided by NJ.Com.

And by BestofNJ.com.

- (Narrator) New Jersey is home to the best public schools in the nation, and that didn't happen by accident.

It's the result of parents, educators and communities working together year after year to give our students a world class education.

No matter the challenge, because parents and educators know that with a shared commitment to our public schools, our children can learn, grow and thrive.

And together, we can keep New Jersey's public schools the best in the nation.