LifeChanger of the Year Nominee Profile

Sharae Young's nominator would like to remain anonymous.

Ms. Young has been a great inspiration to special needs students for the past 25 years. She is also an activist who gives back to her community, by holding the largest Toy Drive in Houston. The Toy Drive served over 6,000 families this past Christmas!

Ms. Young's mother started the toy drive 30 years ago. Ms. Young took it over in 2014 when her mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer's. She stopped her life to make sure this nonprofit organization kept going. She also gives out scholarships every year through another nonprofit called The Outreach Program, which her mother also started.

Ms. Young is a licensed special needs advocate with the state of Texas. She makes parents aware of their rights as far as having a special needs child. She plays a very active role on her campus by ensuring special need students who are medically fragile are taken care, whether they are in wheelchairs, tube fed, etc.

"Sharae gives herself to anyone who is in need," said her nominator. "She lives her life daily with a smile to everyone. She even helps people through her social media by always being positive. She's also a wonderful motivational speaker."