Beyond the Games: 10-year-old Nayomi Melton Uses her Unstoppable Energy for Good
08/23/2023
Melton competed in multiple events at the 57th AAU Junior Olympic Games -- but her hard work is even more important outside of sports
By Kelsey Burr
DES MOINES, Iowa (Aug. 23, 2023) -- 10-year-old Nayomi Melton was busy at the 57th AAU Junior Olympic Games, to say the least. She competed in taekwondo, winning two gold medals, as well as multiple track and field events: the triathlon, high jump, 800m, and 1500m – and still had plenty of energy to spare. In fact, that’s why she became an AAU member in the first place.
“I do AAU because I have a lot of energy, and I like to run. And I’m really fast,” Nayomi said.
Her favorite event is the high jump because “I like to jump around a lot”.
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Nayomi puts that energy to good use. When she’s not competing on the track or mat, she and her younger brother Caleb are helping to feed the homeless in their Illinois community. Their efforts led to them being named the 2023 Illinois Red Cross Youth Heroes of the Year.
“The kids are great athletes, but I think they are even better little humans,” said Anita Ivory, Nayomi and Caleb’s mom.
Nayomi first came up with the idea while on a car ride to ballet.
“I saw this man on the street and I asked my mom ‘why is he on the street holding a sign?’ She told me that people on the street were homeless. I said I want to start to make food for them and give it to them so they at least have some food to eat,” Nayomi told the Red Cross.
“The idea of making sandwiches started with both of them. We would drive and we would deliver them to individuals in the camps. And then we said, ‘OK let’s think about other places.’ And that’s when we came up with Connections for the Homeless,” Anita said in her interview with the Red Cross.
Connections for the Homeless is an organization in Illinois that works to end homelessness through providing shelter and financial support. By partnering with them, the siblings were able to expand their footprint and make an even bigger impact.
“What Caleb and Nayomi have done causes a ripple effect,” said Elle Ullum, Associate Director of Development with Connections during her interview with the Red Cross. “With the lunches, it gets people in the door… And as they continue to come and get those sandwiches, they make connections with our employees and front desk staff, which leads to getting assigned a case manager. Coming in to get that bagged lunch, we’re then connecting them to getting out of homelessness.”
Nayomi credits her mom for encouraging her. In the past two years, the siblings have prepared more than a thousand lunches, often using their own allowances to purchase supplies.
“I love to be helpful,” Nayomi said.
Her brother Caleb, who’s just 7 years old and recently competed in the AAU Diving National Championships, agrees.
“I feel so happy giving food to the homeless,” he said. “I want to be able to do this forever.”
And with Nayomi’s energy and dedication – there’s no limit to what they could accomplish. As she told AAU after her triathlon, sports has taught her the lesson of “never giving up.”
DES MOINES, Iowa (Aug. 23, 2023) -- 10-year-old Nayomi Melton was busy at the 57th AAU Junior Olympic Games, to say the least. She competed in taekwondo, winning two gold medals, as well as multiple track and field events: the triathlon, high jump, 800m, and 1500m – and still had plenty of energy to spare. In fact, that’s why she became an AAU member in the first place.
“I do AAU because I have a lot of energy, and I like to run. And I’m really fast,” Nayomi said.
Her favorite event is the high jump because “I like to jump around a lot”.
Nayomi puts that energy to good use. When she’s not competing on the track or mat, she and her younger brother Caleb are helping to feed the homeless in their Illinois community. Their efforts led to them being named the 2023 Illinois Red Cross Youth Heroes of the Year.
“The kids are great athletes, but I think they are even better little humans,” said Anita Ivory, Nayomi and Caleb’s mom.
Nayomi first came up with the idea while on a car ride to ballet.
“I saw this man on the street and I asked my mom ‘why is he on the street holding a sign?’ She told me that people on the street were homeless. I said I want to start to make food for them and give it to them so they at least have some food to eat,” Nayomi told the Red Cross.
“The idea of making sandwiches started with both of them. We would drive and we would deliver them to individuals in the camps. And then we said, ‘OK let’s think about other places.’ And that’s when we came up with Connections for the Homeless,” Anita said in her interview with the Red Cross.
Connections for the Homeless is an organization in Illinois that works to end homelessness through providing shelter and financial support. By partnering with them, the siblings were able to expand their footprint and make an even bigger impact.
“What Caleb and Nayomi have done causes a ripple effect,” said Elle Ullum, Associate Director of Development with Connections during her interview with the Red Cross. “With the lunches, it gets people in the door… And as they continue to come and get those sandwiches, they make connections with our employees and front desk staff, which leads to getting assigned a case manager. Coming in to get that bagged lunch, we’re then connecting them to getting out of homelessness.”
Nayomi credits her mom for encouraging her. In the past two years, the siblings have prepared more than a thousand lunches, often using their own allowances to purchase supplies.
“I love to be helpful,” Nayomi said.
Her brother Caleb, who’s just 7 years old and recently competed in the AAU Diving National Championships, agrees.
“I feel so happy giving food to the homeless,” he said. “I want to be able to do this forever.”
And with Nayomi’s energy and dedication – there’s no limit to what they could accomplish. As she told AAU after her triathlon, sports has taught her the lesson of “never giving up.”
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