Paisley-Kate, U.S. Army National Guard Courageous Kids Contest Winner
April 25, 2026
Paisley-Kate, Army National Guard Courageous Kids Contest Winner
Budding Entrepreneur Raises Thousands of Dollars for Care Packages While Dad Is Deployed
Last year was a busy — and hard — year for many Texas Army National Guard families. It was no different for Paisley-Kate, a 13-year-old Texan, whose dad was deployed. When she realized that more than a thousand service members deployed with her dad would also miss the holidays with their families, she swung into action.
“She raised thousands of dollars to send a Christmas package to every deployed soldier of Task Force Reaper, each one filled with a T-shirt, ornament, snacks, sock, and messages of love and kindness,” her mother and nominator, Melissa, recalled.
This kind of action is who Paisley-Kate is. As a tween, she founded her own small business with the intent to give back to the community.
“She creates and sells products and donates 100% of the net proceeds to causes focused on inclusion, service, and supporting others,” said Melissa.
Her desire to give back is rooted in honoring her brother, who has autism, because she wants to make the world kinder and more inclusive for everyone.
“Her strength is found not only in what she accomplished, but in the consistency with which she chooses compassion, even in the hardest moments.” - Melissa, Paisley-Kate's Mother and Nominator
Paisley-Kate copes with military life by diving into activities that keep her hands busy and her heart full.
“For me, that’s pouring myself into my mission to bring back kindness. And it’s helped me get through some really hard days,” Paisley-Kate said.
When she’s not running her business, Paisley-Kate is immersed in family, church, and cheering. She’s an all-star cheerleader and is on her middle school’s cheerleading team as well.
In the future, Paisley-Kate plans to become a lawyer “so I can use my voice to stand up for others and make a meaningful impact.” She wants to continue growing her business and hopes to also create opportunities for people with special needs.
“[Being a military kid has] made me more aware, more compassionate, and more intentional about how I treat others because I understand what it feels like to carry something heavy that people can’t always see.” - Paisley-Kate
Learn more about the Our Military Kids activity award program at: https://www.ourmilitarykids.org
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