Tara Lusignan, 13, left; and Katie Samuelson, 14.

Lately, kids have been sporting purple bracelets that represent more than just another teen fashion trend. They’re about giving back to babies in need. The masterminds behind the “I Luv Babies” project are Tara Lusignan, a Parkhill eighth grader, and Katie Samuelsen of Lake Highlands Freshman Center. The girls started selling the bracelets over the summer for $3, with $2 of each sale going straight to the local nonprofit Vogul Alcove, which provides support to babies of homeless families. Lusignan and Samuelsen have delivered more than 1,700 diapers to the shelter. “They were just so thankful,” Lusignan says. The two non-profit entrepreneurs attend the same church, Northpark Presbyterian, and the “I Luv Babies” idea came to them during a long drive home from camp in Central Texas where the girls had learned about making a difference in their communities. Lusignan’s friend was wearing an “I Love Boobies” bracelet in support of breast cancer. “I was like, oh, what if it said ‘I love babies’,” she says. The news spread by word of mouth. The girls even have their own website devoted the cause, iluvbabies.com, as well as a Facebook page. They plan to sell the bracelets as long as people keep buying them. “I don’t think we’ll stop anytime soon,” Lusignan says.

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More info: iluvbabies.com.