CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — As the saying goes, it takes a village to raise a child. But one South Texas boy is proof that a child is just as capable of raising up a village.
10-year-old Nate Gonzalez does not allow his age to limit his efforts to help the less fortunate. In fact, he's recently been named a "Student Hero" by the state of Texas.
"What I love is helping people," Gonzalez said. “Makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside. I’m trying to give good emotions, instead of bad emotions."
Gonzalez has run several charitable drives with his own nonprofit organization, "Nate's Next Kid Up," wherein he collects clothes, toys and supplies for children in need across the Coastal Bend. Nate's mother Isabel said it all started in 2020 when he was seven.
“We just want to help him continue his goals, and he just wants to keep moving forward and forward,” said Isabel.
Erik, Nate's father, echoes that support.
“His passion and strength for this is what keeps us energized to help, to support him," said Erik.
And now, Nate and his family have an exciting update to his tale of good deeds: "Nate’s Next Kid Up" is now an official 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
“It was a long process with paperwork to get the nonprofit, but it’s finally here," Isabel said. "And we’re happy.”
Nate has big plans for the future of his nonprofit.
“One drop of kindness could be this whole thing that I’m doing right now," he said. "Like, just one thing could lead to all this."
Nate's school principal, Dr. Nikol Youngberg of Flour Bluff Primary & Elementary School, couldn't be more thrilled to witness Nate's generosity blossom throughout the years.
“It's one of the most rewarding parts of being a principal,” she said. “Just very special, having had Nate through the years, and seeing and just being able to encourage them. As educators, it’s so important to encourage them.”
Nate said that without the community's continuous support over the years, his achievement of the 501(c)(3) nonprofit status would not be possible.
“Shout out to the community," he said. "Thanks for all of your support. And it’s just gotta get bigger from here.”
You can keep up with "Nate's Next Kid Up" by visiting its official website and following its official Facebook page.