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12/27/2011 The Sentinel Record - Texarkana Gazette "Youths (KYE-YAC) donates $10K to Jackson House"

Wishing to express kindness and live out the true meaning of Christmas, KYE-YAC International chose the Eleanor Klugh Jackson House for Crisis Intervention as their Christmas charity this year.
From left, Trey Smith, Pierce Williams, Kye Masino -President, Peyton Rudisill - Vice President, and Robert Cain. The kids spoke with reporter/photographer Mara Kuhn about their donation.




By: From Staff Reports - Sentinel-Record

The Sentinel-Record/Mara Kuhn KYE-YAC DONATION: From left, Trey Smith, 12, Pierce Williams, 12, Kye Masino, 13, Peyton Rudisill, 14, and Robert Cain, 12, gathered at Jackson House on Thursday with some of the items given through a $10,000 donation from the KYE-YAC group.

Wishing to express kindness and live out the true meaning of Christmas, KYE-YAC International, a nonprofit organization created by youths working to better the lives of other children, chose Jackson House as their Christmas charity project this year.

“We think everyone should be able to enjoy Christmas without being hungry, and could think of no better way to directly benefit needy children and families of Garland County than through a $10,000 donation to the Jackson House,” Kye Masino, founder and president of KYE-YAC, said in an email.

“We really want as many kids as possible to have a warm meal and, of course, presents. Everyone loves presents. We hope to continue our support throughout the year because we know the need does not go away with the holidays,” he said.

After learning about Jackson House and the work it does in the community through previous visits to the facility, KYE-YAC “had no question” that a $10,000 donation would help Jackson House make Christmas a little more meaningful this year to the many people it serves.

Masino and the KYE-YAC board, Peyton Rudisill, Robert Cain, Pierce Williams, and Brianna Godoy, support several charities throughout the year, including Williams Educational Center, Arkansas Rice Depot, Arkansas Children’s Hospital, St. Joseph’s Mercy Cooper-Anthony Child Advocacy Center, and Ouachita Children's Center.

“We really want to show that anyone can make a difference in someone’s life – even, or especially, a kid,” Masino said.
Published: 12/27/2011




"Claus connection: Kye Masino" The Hot Springs Sentinel Record "His gift is philanthropy"
The Sentinel Record "selected Kye as a full-fledged executive board member of Operation Christmas 2011!"





SOCIAL EYES" SO NICE TO RICE DEPOTSocial
Nonprofit thanks those who help keep the food flowing
RACHEL CHANEY

The Arkansas Rice Depot gave thanks to supporters two days early, on Nov. 22, with a luncheon at Embassy Suites.
Rice Depot also paid tribute to two individuals and one company for the work they’ve done on behalf of the nonprofit. The organization distributed more than 8 million pounds of food to more than 400,000 needy Arkansans last year.
Kye Masino of Hot Springs was given the Volunteer of the Year award for founding KYEYAC International, an organization created and run by kids. Earlier this year, Kye, 13, selected the Rice Depot as his charity and raised more than $30,000 for its Food for Kids program.
Attorney General Dustin McDaniel received the Allison Stroud Humanitarian Award for his work to feed the poor. This year, McDaniel’s office gave the Rice Depot $140,000 from a settlement with Dannon Co.
Arvest Bank was named the Outstanding Corporate Citizen for its longtime support of the Rice Depot.
Guests at the luncheon dined on an Arkansasinspired menu of grilled chicken, broccoli, carrots and — of course — rice.
This story was published Sunday, December 04, 2011

Pierce Williams, Robert Cain, Peyton Rudisill, Kye Masino and Cal Chaney at the Arkansas Rice Depot's "Thanks for Giving Luncheon"






KTHV'S CRAIG O'NEILL INTERVIEWS KYE WHEN KYE-YAC FIRST BEGAN WORKING WITH THE ARKANSAS RICE DEPOT'S FOOD FOR KID'S PROGRAM



KYE-YAC International is growing and supporting more kids than ever! That's why the all-youth board took the opportunity in Inviting Arkansas magazine to thank the many contributors who assist KYE-YAC in its mission give as many children as possible an equal chance in life!




Kye, KYE-YAC board founder and president, is named Arkansas Rice Depot's first ever Food For Kids Ambassador. Kye speaks to groups across the state and beyond about the wonderful program that is currently feeding over 30,000 kids a year.


Photo by Rick McFarland
Kye Masino, 12, juggles stuffed bears, named Kye Bears in his honor, in the Arkansas Rice Depot warehouse. Sales of the bears promotes and benefit the Food for Kids program, for which Kye is the first ambassador. Kye was featured in the Arkansas Democrat Gazette's High profile section for his work with the Food for Kids program. He and KYE-YAC sponsored all of the school districts in Garland County, and part of Clark County - meaning NO children in those districts will go hungry this school year.

KID HELPS FIGHT CHILDHOOD HUNGER
JENNIFER NIXON
ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE

Ask Kye Masino about the organizations he supports and the issues that interest him and he talks about fundraising and giving speeches, rattling off statistics with poise and confidence.
Kye isn’t quite like other regular volunteers and dedicated spokesmen. In between speaking engagements, board meetings and fundraisers, he likes to kick back and play video games with his friends. After all, he’s a 12-year-old boy.
Being involved in volunteer work and trying to make a difference are just a part of life, as far as Kye is concerned.
“I started when I was really young,” the home-schooled rising seventh-grader says. “My mom did it a lot, so that was a big influence.”
His family made a habit of vol- unteering during the Christmas season. But as Kye grew older, he began to do more and more on his own, like reading to children at Catherine’s House shelter, or dressing up as a dog to talk to children at a Head Start Program about child abuse.
In 2009, Kye started Kye-YAC (Youth Advisory Council ) International, a philanthropic organization “created by kids, for kids.” Its focus is on improving health care, education and exposure to the arts for children, as well as fighting childhood hunger.
“It started when I became aware of all the need that’s in Arkansas,” Kye says. “I was just at an age when I became aware of all the problems that could be fixed. Like hunger, abuse, neglect, lack of education.”
Kye and Kye-YAC’s vice president, Peyton Rudisill, 13, and regular head volunteer Robert Caine, 11, stay busy, with help from a fluctuating group of volunteers, mostly between the ages of 9 and 15.
“We do all different kinds of things — fundraisers, I go and speak. We work with nonprofits that help make children’s lives better.
“We raise money through many different ways,” Kye explains. “We talk to other foundations and challenge them to match what we gave.”
It has been an effective enterprise so far. Recently, they presented Arkansas Children’s Hospital with $10,000.
Kye-YAC is involved with several groups and has helped a dozen organizations this past year, Kye says. One of his biggest and newest roles is that of ambassador for the Arkansas Rice Depot’s Food for Kids program.
“He’s the first ambassador that’s ever been named,” says Jodie Spears, a public relations specialist for the Rice Depot. “And he’s so fitting because he’s a 12-year-old who’s helping talk for other kids.”
For many children in the public school system, school breakfasts and lunches are the only food they get. Hungry children display physical and emotional problems that interfere with their ability to do well in school.
Food for Kids, which began in 1994 and helped more than 30,000 children in Arkansas this past year, provides those students with child-friendly “ready-to-eat” food for dinners and weekends.
Kye explains, “They put food in backpacks that they give to children. The children take that backpack and it goes to their house. That could be their food for the entire week. It’s in a dignified way so they don’t get teased or anything like that.
“Fifteen dollars could give one kid a backpack. Two thousand dollars can help a whole school.”
The program has been very successful.
“It’s been replicated in over 40 states across the nation but it was founded here,” says Lauren McElroy, vice president of Rice Depot.
“It’s not only enabling students to have food to eat at night, but it’s also changing lives,” she says. “If they hadn’t had this food, there’s a possibility they would have had to drop out of school in order to get a job. This enables them to concentrate on their education.”
Kye became interested in the program during a site visit to the depot.
“At the moment we were wanting to help with childhood hunger and we saw what a great job they were doing and so we chose to help. They’re a great organization. Why not help them?
“[Childhood hunger] is a major issue. It’s way too big in Arkansas. One out of four children are hungry in this state. Not a good statistic. Not a good statistic at all,” he says.
As the ambassador, he says, “My job is to do interviews, speak to people about the program, basically do publicity for it.”
Spears calls it a perfect fit.
“It’s a brand new idea having a child serve as ambassador for other kids who aren’t as lucky.”
McElroy adds, “What better representative than another child?”
As for Kye’s future with the program, “we’re still deciding,” he says.
“I think he’s excited enough to want to do it more than just one year,” Spears says. “Which is great because it really gives him a chance to build the program.”
Young people often feel overwhelmed or like they can’t do anything worthwhile. But volunteering and making a difference doesn’t have to mean raising large amounts of money or turning fundraising into the equivalent of a fulltime job.
“There’s a lot of ways you can get started,” Kye says, suggesting using the Internet to research causes, organizations and volunteer opportunities.
“You can donate your time or your money and they both help just as well. They’re equally appreciated. Anything helps. It’s unlimited what you can do.” For more information on the Arkansas Rice Depot, call (501) 565-8855 or visit RICEDEPOT.OR OR KYEYAC.ORG

This story was published Sunday, July 10, 2011






Kye recording a Public Service Announcement at Little Rock based Starfield Audio for the Arkansas Rice Depot's Food For Kid's Program



Juanita Williams of the Williams Educational Center and Kye (KYE-YAC) form a long-lasting partnership!

Youth organization aids education center
By: From Staff Reports - Sentinel-Record


A partnership is taking place spanning the generations in Hot Springs involving young philanthropists working with an individual who has spent nearly 80 years of her life working toward educating Arkansas youths. The Williams Educational Center was recently encouraged by a site visit from KYE-YAC International, a group of youths whose mission is to work toward making life better for youths through education, the arts and health care.

KYE-YAC, led by founder and president, Kye Masino, presented Juanita Williams and WEC Inc. with a donation to boost the center’s educational initiatives and scholarships. Williams stated in the press release, “Kye visited bearing many types of gifts.” She went on to explain, “(KYE-YAC gave) mentally through suggestions and recommendations; physically by engaging in manual onsite repairs; and financially by presenting a $500 check to the center for future programs.”

Williams established the Williams Education Center in honor of her late husband, Benjamin G. Williams, an Arkansas educator who gave 50 years to the cause of educating children in Arkansas. Williams said, “Benjamin believed strongly that all children can learn.” The center is a tribute to his efforts.

KYE-YAC has given to other charitable causes benefiting children in Hot Springs and Arkansas. “We believe that working together, youths and elderly, we can build a stronger tomorrow,” says Masino.

The Williams Educational Center has been in existence for six years and is working with KYE-YAC on upgrading its facilities.
Published: 04/01/2011