Spirit of Women National Youth Winner

Our national winner in the youth category is a young lady with grown-up dreams and some grown-up accomplishments.

Brittany Riesenberg is a member of the National Honor Society, leader in school sports and clubs, community volunteer, hospital intern and an active Girl Scout. However the achievement that stands out in everyone’s mind resulted from her response to a mission lecture on poor peasant families in Piura, Peru. Once Brittany learned of the extreme poverty in that city, she responded with strength, compassion, vision and hard work. Our national youth winner recognized that her background in her family’s restaurant business could help these needy people. She realized that families in Piura did not have the necessary equipment to cook in a way that promotes good hygiene, nutrition and safety. So she enlisted the help of many individuals and organizations to search and ask for pots and pans and then collect 68 large moving boxes of dishes and kitchen supplies.

Brittany went to Peru in high school to help distribute the materials and to see first hand the results of the community effort. She discovered that these people have nothing… and something as simple as a used pot or pan actually served many uses from washing to cleaning to cooking. This young woman could not believe how something so little could be so meaningful to so many people and makes such a difference in their health and lifestyle. Since her return, she has shared her experience and encouraged others to become involved.

This national winner has learned that she can make a difference, not only in her community, but also throughout the world.

Dynamic, energetic and positive describes Brittany Riesenberg.