Former MBHS student Christian Huddle wins philanthropy award

Christian Huddle began his philanthropy career during his junior and senior years at Mountain Brook High School.

For his final Eagle Scout project, he built 12 bookshelves and delivered them to 12 locations around Birmingham, along with more than 3,000 books for children to check out and carry home.

That project not only earned him Scouting’s highest rank, but it also earned him the Bill Moran Outstanding Youth in Philanthropy Award. Huddle and others will be honored by the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) Alabama chapter Nov. 14, National Philanthropy Day, at The Harbert Center.

Huddle said being able to win this recognition is nice, but it’s not what it’s all about.

“It’s great to be recognized, but it’s not something I was looking to do when I started this project,” Huddle said. “I didn’t expect these awards or media attention when we started the project. It’s a good thing to inspire people. I’m not doing it for me.”

Huddle’s project provided help to second-graders who had trouble reading by allowing them to carry home books to learn to read. He partnered with Start the Adventure in Reading (STAIR) program to complete this project.

STAIR nominated Huddle for the award, and he learned he had won after STAIR contacted his mother to let him know. He said he gets his philanthropic spirit from his parents, Clark and Lynn Huddle.

“I feel like the credit goes to my parents,” Huddle said. “They showed me an emphasis on service and helping others.”

Huddle started by visiting food pantries with his parents after church on Sundays and also going on youth trips to serve different communities. Those early moments, along with becoming an Eagle Scout, propelled him into the world of philanthropy.

Now a sophomore at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Huddle is member of Kappa Sigma fraternity. With a year of college in a new city under his belt, he wants to begin doing philanthropic work in his Texas community.

“I plan on doing a bit more in the fall,” he said.

Huddle said he hopes to begin talking to his fraternity leaders to become more involved, perhaps eventually serving as his fraternity’s philanthropy chairman. He hopes to get into business school at the beginning of next year as well.

Huddle wants to continue making philanthropy a big part of his life.

“Ultimately, the focus should be helping kids and them being able to read,” he said. “I love to read, so when I heard they were having trouble, I was heartbroken. To be able to help kids get back on their feet and provide benefits is great.”