Congratulations to HGTV's Community Crusaders

Avery Doninger
Community Crusader - September
Student and Community Advocate

Avery Doninger is making a difference. After serving in AmeriCorps NCCC, Avery, who is 19, started college and immediately found a way to be of service in the community as a regular volunteer at the soup kitchen and a wintertime shelter.

After the shelter closed in April she continued to be a powerful advocate for a homeless veteran who was alone on the streets. Aware that many of the homeless faced new challenges in the summer, Avery developed and proposed a plan to provide showers for people living in a tent city. After her proposal was accepted Avery volunteered to staff the newly-available shower service.

Volunteerism is in Avery's bones. As soon as the earthquake hit Haiti she sought a way to volunteer. Avery spent the summer with Hands On Disaster Response in Leogane, Haiti. During her clean-up efforts, she started a blog to help those back home understand the conditions for the people of Haiti.