What Difference Can My Donation Make?

Hi, you have not come across this page by chance. Certainly you are considering donating to our cause, and maybe you are wondering what difference can my donation make? Well, let us reassure you that for as little as $10 a month you will be a vital part of supporting the continued growth and operational stabilization of our nonprofit organization.
Founded in 2017, Historihelpers Inc is dedicated to historical research, education, and community preservation with a unique and deeply impactful approach: engaging young people directly in the discovery, documentation, and preservation of their own community history. Our work sits at the intersection of education, heritage conservation, youth empowerment, and community identity, addressing a critical gap in how history is preserved and passed on to future generations. 
The organization was born from a moment that fundamentally reshaped how our founder, Diann Anthony, viewed the role of youth in historical preservation. In 2017, a Boy Scout from Troop 300, encouraged by a local Councilwoman, undertook a project to investigate an abandoned structure in the heart of his community. What many believed to be nothing more than a neglected snack shack on school grounds, including the Mayor at the time, was revealed through careful research to be a one-room schoolhouse dating back to the 1800s. This discovery ignited community-wide interest and pride, culminating in a detailed feature published by Newsday in its Newsday Life edition. More importantly, it revealed the transformative power of engaging young people in meaningful historical inquiry. From this moment, Historihelpers Inc emerged with a clear and compelling mission: to involve youth in uncovering, preserving, and sharing the historical narratives that define their communities.  .

Historihelpers Inc operates as a nonprofit organization grounded in the belief that history is not meant to be locked away in archives, books, or museums, disconnected from everyday life. Instead, history should be lived, explored, questioned, and understood by those who will shape the future. Our mission is to motivate, encourage, and support young people in discovering their heritage, their families, their communities, and ultimately themselves. We are guided by a simple yet powerful truth: if we do not know where we came from, it is difficult to know where we are going. This philosophy underpins every program, project, and partnership we pursue. 
Across communities, countless historical sites, artifacts, and data sources are deteriorating or disappearing altogether. Aging historians pass away with invaluable knowledge that has never been fully recorded. Oral histories vanish. Local landmarks are demolished or repurposed without documentation. Databases become obsolete. The cumulative result is a silent erosion of community identity. Younger generations, often disengaged from traditional history education, rarely see themselves reflected in historical narratives or feel connected to the stories being told. Historihelpers Inc exists to reverse this trend by making history active, participatory, and relevant. Our approach is distinct within the historical research and preservation field. While many organizations focus primarily on collecting and documenting historical data, their work often ends with publication or archival storage. Although important, this model frequently excludes the very people who will inherit these histories. Historihelpers Inc differentiates itself by placing youth at the center of the historical process. Young participants are not passive recipients of information; they are researchers, interviewers, explorers, and storytellers. Through hands-on involvement, history becomes personal and exciting. We often refer to this phenomenon as the “Indiana Jones Effect,” where discovery replaces memorization and curiosity replaces boredom. 
Our primary product and service is historical data, but the true value we deliver extends far beyond documentation. We collect oral histories, research historical structures, uncover forgotten records, and contextualize local events within broader historical narratives. This data is preserved through written publications, digital records, and community presentations. More importantly, it is generated through intergenerational collaboration, bringing together youth, elders, historians, educators, and community leaders in a shared mission. 
Historihelpers Inc serves a broad audience, but our primary focus is on engaging young people from kindergarten through twelfth grade. This age group represents the voice of the current and emerging generation. By empowering them to explore history, we amplify that voice and foster a sense of ownership and responsibility toward their communities. While youth engagement is central, the benefits of our work extend to families, educators, local governments, historians, and the general public. Our research contributes to community pride, educational enrichment, and informed civic participation. 
One of the most persistent challenges in education today is student disengagement, particularly in subjects perceived as abstract or irrelevant. History is often taught as a series of dates, names, and distant events disconnected from students’ lived experiences. As a result, many young people view history as dull or meaningless. Historihelpers Inc addresses this challenge by transforming history education into an immersive experience. When students interview longtime residents, explore abandoned buildings, examine original documents, and see their work published or presented publicly, their perception of history changes dramatically. They become excited, invested, and eager to learn more. This engagement not only improves historical understanding but also builds critical thinking, communication, research, and teamwork skills. 
Despite the impact of our programs, Historihelpers Inc currently faces significant operational challenges. Since its inception, the organization has relied heavily on volunteers, including students, educators, and community members. While this volunteer-driven model has allowed us to accomplish meaningful work, it has also limited our capacity for growth and sustainability. At present, we are experiencing stagnation due to a lack of funds to create and fill essential paid positions. Key roles such as interviewer and field agent, researcher, office manager, editor, and publisher are either unfilled or filled on an inconsistent volunteer basis. This constrains our ability to manage projects efficiently, expand into surrounding communities, and preserve the quality and continuity of our work. The need for paid staff is not merely administrative; it is mission-critical. Interviewers and field agents are necessary to conduct structured oral history interviews and site investigations. Researchers are required to verify information, cross-reference sources, and contextualize findings. Office management is essential for coordinating schedules, managing communications, maintaining records, and supporting volunteers and youth participants. Editors and publishers ensure that collected data is transformed into accessible, accurate, and engaging publications for public consumption. Without these roles filled consistently, valuable historical information risks being lost or improperly preserved. 
Historihelpers Inc operates under a diversified nonprofit business model that combines fundraising, earned revenue, and grant support. We have planned several fundraising initiatives for the upcoming year, including community yard sales, art auctions, and collaborative book signing and sales events with local authors. These activities not only generate revenue but also raise awareness and strengthen community involvement. Please check our Event page for the date of upcoming events. In addition, we plan to publish the historical material we uncover in books and through a paid newsletter available to the public. These publications serve as both educational resources and revenue-generating products that support ongoing operations. 
However, earned revenue and grassroots fundraising alone are insufficient to meet our current needs. Your donation is essential at this stage of our organizational development not only  to build foundational capacity, but it represents a critical opportunity to stabilize operations, professionalize our processes, and position Historihelpers Inc for long-term sustainability and growth. At this point your donation will be allocated strategically to address three core priorities;: obtaining office space, acquiring essential equipment, and creating paid positions. Securing modest office space will provide a centralized location for staff, volunteers, and youth participants to collaborate, store materials, and conduct research and interviews. It will also lend credibility and accessibility to the organization, facilitating partnerships with schools, libraries, and community organizations. 
Equipment acquisition is another pressing need. Computers, printers, and phones are fundamental tools for research, data entry, communication, editing, and publication. Currently, much of our work relies on personal devices or borrowed equipment, which limits efficiency and data security. Grant funds will help us establish a basic but functional technological infrastructure that supports our mission. 
Most importantly, the grant will help us achieved the creation of paid positions for qualified individual to fill critical roles. Even part-time compensation for interviewers, researchers, and administrative staff will dramatically increase our capacity to execute projects, meet deadlines, and maintain high standards of accuracy and engagement. Paid positions also create accountability, continuity, and institutional knowledge that volunteer-only models often lack.We at Historihelpers inc are determined to make every dollar count.. Over the years, we have built a strong network of individuals who are strategically aligned with our mission and exceptionally skilled at working with young people. This network includes educators, historians, artists, writers, and community leaders who contribute expertise and mentorship. With your donation, this network can be mobilized more effectively and consistently, multiplying the impact of every dollar received. 
Concerned Citizens should choose to donate to Historihelpers Inc because our work addresses multiple community needs simultaneously. We preserve history that might otherwise be lost. We engage and educate young people in meaningful, hands-on learning experiences. We strengthen community identity and intergenerational connections. We prepare youth to become informed, engaged citizens who value their heritage and understand their role in shaping the future. These outcomes align closely with the values of social responsibility, education, and community empowerment that build Civic engagement. 
Looking ahead, Historihelpers Inc envisions a future in which youth-led historical preservation is a standard practice rather than an exception. With stable staffing and resources, we plan to expand our programs into surrounding communities, develop curriculum-aligned educational materials, increase publication output, and establish digital archives accessible to the public. We also aim to formalize partnerships with schools, libraries, and civic organizations to integrate our work into broader educational and cultural initiatives.