FROM TOP: Shriver in his offi ce and at a Save the Children event

The thing I remember most about that time in my childhood, however, was the house and the land surrounding it. It was on that property that my mom ran camps for people with developmental disabilities. That was the beginning of Special Olympics, the worldwide organization that now serves more than 3 million people in more than 180 countries.

And it was on that property that my father and mother [Eunice Kennedy Shriver, founder of the Special Olympics, who passed away this summer] hosted events for people like Cesar Chavez, George McGovern and the staff of the Peace Corps and people central to the War on Poverty. Those events and those amazing people, as well as my parents themselves, instilled in me a sense that working for the common good could be exciting and relevant.

My parents never explicitly said that I had to go into the same line of work, but every time we did something, it seemed that we were making a difference. Whether we were at homeless shelters or soup kitchens, or playing sports with our friends, some of whom happened to have developmental disabilities, we were helping others.

Change was happening and there always seemed to be a lot of young people involved at those shelters and soup kitchens and at our home—from Peace Corps volunteers to Head Start teachers to Special Olympics staff, all were eager to help shape the world they were inheriting.

I created the Choice Program 20 years ago in Baltimore to work with juvenile delinquents and at-risk youth. Our caseworkers were recent college graduates willing to put in 75-hour weeks in some of the most troubled neighborhoods. Arrests and recidivism declined, young lives were improved and the program flourished largely because of the dedication of these committed individuals.

Today I run Save the Children’s programs in the United States. We work in some of the poorest, most underserved communities. One in six children lives in poverty in this country, but in rural America, it’s one in five. Our strong results use innovative models built on 21st century technology and public-private partnerships. But the foundation of our success is the dedicated staff members who work on a daily basis to improve the lives of children living in poverty.

Change happens in state and national policy when the advocates are those directly impacted. That’s why Save the Children is embarking on a new campaign to engage kids—as young as 10 and 11 years old—to play a role in the fight against childhood poverty in the United States. The premise is simple: The effects of poverty—illiteracy, obesity and substandard education— prevent all kids from getting a fair start.

We hope this campaign acts as a catalyst for instilling kids with a sense of responsibility for each other, a value that they can take with them their whole lives. If we’re successful, I hope it will help fulfill the vision of my parents, who dreamed of the most united and compassionate America possible. ★