The headlines that normally dominate the news each week make it easy to lose hope for the generation of Suffolk youngsters and teens on the road to adulthood. Crimes against property and persons usually capture the most attention, and a distressing percentage of those crimes involves minors or young adults. Judging by those headlines alone, one could easily reach the conclusion that things are hopeless for the younger generation and, therefore, for the city’s future.

But a trio of stories during the past week — bolstered by a long string of similar reports that preceded the recent stories — proves there is, indeed, hope and reason for Suffolk to celebrate its young people.

The three stories highlighted the work of one individual, one neighborhood group and one community organization to help make their community a better place and to be a blessing to others. One thing each of the stories had in common is that the philanthropists in each case are young people with a desire to make a difference.

Nine-year-old Cody Saunders started a business this year making bracelets and keychains out of parachute cord. He puts the money he earns into a savings account. But recently he began making pink, breast cancer awareness-themed versions, and the money he receives from their sale goes to a family at his church that is affected by the disease.

Alyssa Manning, 6, and friend Kayleigh Williams, 9, also decided to use their business acumen for good, putting together a hot chocolate stand for the Suffolk Holiday Parade where they raised money to buy gifts for children whose names hang on the Angel Tree in Walmart. They were aided in their effort by Alyssa’s cousin, Trevor, 6, along with her mother, Jenna Hubbard, who said this about the effort: “This is something the kids came up with. It’s teaching them a lesson — you work, you get the money, you buy something and you donate it to someone else.”

A group of six girls from Girl Scout Troop 5292, based in Driver, has spent time during the past four months assisting Horses Helping Heroes, a non-profit organization in Smithfield that provides equine-assisted activities for military and first-responder veterans who have disabilities. From mucking stalls to cleaning equipment and painting fences, they’ve contributed their time and talents to a program whose goal is to help improve the balance, muscle strength, posture, self-esteem and self-confidence of the people it serves.

There’s reason to be concerned about the future of young people in Suffolk. But these three stories, along with so many others like them, prove that there’s plenty of reason for hope, as well. And that’s good news.