It all started in eighth grade, when Tyler Zangaglia volunteered at a community service event in downtown Seattle. In that moment, Tyler was struck by how different people’s lives were than the one he was used to, though his home and school were just a 20-minute drive away. Though he knew Seattle had one of the largest homeless populations in the U.S., it was a very different experiencing seeing the level of local need firsthand. In that moment, Tyler knew he wanted to do something to help: and the Hope Festival was born.

Now in its eighth year, the one-day event is run entirely by youth volunteers and provides local people in need with free goods and services: from groceries, to clothes and toys, to haircuts, vision screenings, and so much more. Over the last seven years, the event has served over 8,000 individuals, partnered with more than 200 organizations, donated an additional 38,000 pounds of clothing and food to local charities, and raised over $90,000 in grants and scholarships. We chatted with Tyler to find out more about the festival and his advice for other students wanting to volunteer and give back in their own communities.

I was in eighth grade, going into high school, when I volunteered at a community service event. It inspired me to want to do something, so I talked to my friends, some adult mentors and other organizations in the area. The idea of the Hope Festival is that it’s a one-stop shop for anyone in need. It started out with us offering clothing, groceries, toys and haircuts for everyone who came. We did one event, and then we did a second year, and it’s continued growing every year, and we add more to the event to make it more powerful and impactful for everyone who comes. Now, we offer everything from clothes, to hygiene supplies, to groceries, toys, books and school supplies, and services like haircuts and dental care. This year we did hearing and vision screenings for the first time. We also had the local humane society come to help with pet vaccinations.

The coolest part of the event is seeing what we’re able to do as a group of kids who come together. It’s the most special thing to watch that all come to life.

They’re amazing! There’s a core group of about eight of us who are high school and college students, and then every year about 400 – 500 volunteers from high schools and middle schools in the area help bring the festival to life. One of the other focuses of this event is to show young people what they are capable of if they set their mind to doing something and are determined to make it happen—no matter their age.

The people! Everyone from our team, to the volunteers, to the guests that we serve. On the day of the event, the best part is being able to have conversations with people, to hear their stories of where they came from and how this event has helped. I get caught up in the logistics of the event, but I love when I’m able to just slow down and have those conversations. It makes it real. It’s not the validation of “we’re doing good,” it’s more “these are our neighbors, our friends, our community members and I’m happy we could help.”