It is an amazing gift when someone reaches out to touch someone else’s life, its even more incredible when its a child helping other children a continent away.

That is exactly what a young boy named Austin Gutwein did in the spring of 2004 after seeing a video of children whose parents had died from AIDS.

Austin felt a calling to do something to help these children. On World Aids Day, he decided to shoot free throws and he shot 2,057 free throws to represent the 2,057 kids who would be orphaned during his day at school.  Austin had friends and family sponsor him and was able to raise almost $3,000.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mheJ5iXXeH0&feature=relmfu]

From that year forward, thousands of people have joined Austin in a basketball shoot-a-thon called Hoops of Hope. By doing something as simple as shooting free throws, Hoops of Hope participants have raised over $2 million. The children left behind by AIDS now have access to food, clothing, shelter, a new school, four dormitories,  and two medical testing facilities which he was told would save an entire generation. A second school is now under construction.

As Austin said, “Given the opportunity, kids will blow you away.”

Copyright © 2011 Charity Matters. This article may not be reproduced without explicit written permission; if you are not reading this in your newsreader, the site you are viewing is illegally infringing our copyright. We would be grateful if you contact us.