“I believe young people don't have to wait until they're older to make a difference. If we have the ability to create change today, why wait?”

At just 16 years old, Jacob Rogers founded Courage for Kids, a youth-led 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to supporting children and families affected by pediatric cancer. What began as an idea during eighth grade has grown into an organization focused on one simple belief: children battling cancer deserve more than treatment, they deserve comfort, joy, encouragement, and a community standing beside them.

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Jacob's interest in pediatric cancer began with a growing awareness of how deeply a diagnosis can affect a child's entire life. Cancer doesn't simply mean chemotherapy, surgeries, scans, or hospital visits. It can mean missing school, birthdays, sports, time with friends, and the everyday moments that make childhood what it should be. At the same time, parents are navigating fear and uncertainty while trying to remain strong for their children.

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Jacob has always found purpose in doing something when he sees a need. As he learned more about pediatric cancer, he began looking beyond the diagnosis itself and toward the experience children and their families face throughout treatment. He realized that while medical treatment is essential, there is an entire side of the childhood cancer experience that can easily be overlooked, the isolation, fear, disruption, and emotional weight placed on both children and their parents.

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Jacob began creating the organization's mission and vision around providing tangible support, encouragement, and moments of joy to pediatric cancer patients and their families. From the beginning, Courage for Kids was designed to be more than an awareness campaign. It was meant to be an organization that shows up.

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The first ideas eventually became programs. Courage Boxes were created to bring comfort and entertainment to children going through treatment, while Parent Boxes were developed with the parents and caregivers navigating the journey alongside them. Fundraising and awareness initiatives were created to bring the community into the fight, and partnerships with businesses and organizations became a way to turn community support into real resources for families.

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What started as a small group of students quickly became countless hours spent figuring things out from scratch. They organized fundraisers, contacted businesses, researched hospitals, developed programs, created social media campaigns, reached out to potential partners, sorted donations, planned events, and worked to build something that had never existed before.

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Jacob and his small team worked late nights, celebrated small victories, learned from rejection, and kept reaching out after hearing “no.” Every donated product, every fundraiser, every new volunteer, and every person who shared the mission became another reason to keep going.

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Since launching, Courage for Kids has secured more than $15,000 in donated products to support its programs and recently raised more than $2,000 in a single month through community fundraising efforts. The organization has continued developing partnerships, expanding its programs, and building a network of young people who want to make a difference in the lives of pediatric cancer families.

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In October 2026, Courage for Kids is scheduled to take another major step forward with its first hospital distribution, bringing more than 50 Courage Boxes and Parent Boxes to a local hospital for children and parents facing pediatric cancer.

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And the mission has continued to grow beyond what Jacob originally imagined. As a student, he has had to balance school, extracurricular activities, and the responsibilities of running a nonprofit while continuing to build a team around the organization. Along the way, he has learned that leadership isn't about having every answer. It's about being willing to learn, adapt, ask for help, and keep moving forward when things don't go according to plan.

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Courage for Kids is proof of what can happen when one young person sees a problem and decides not to simply accept it.

Today, Courage for Kids is continuing to build a community centered around children and families affected by pediatric cancer, one box, one partnership, one fundraiser, and one act of kindness at a time.

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Their fight. Our mission.