By Saanvi Mirchandani and Khushi Shah
This summer, we were heartbroken to see the increasing economic distress brought to Long Island families by the COVID-19 economic recession. Many had lost jobs and were struggling financially. However important education is, it would suffice to say that school supplies were not very high on families’ lists of priorities. In any circumstance, kids need proper supplies to supplement their education, whether online or in person. We decided to save families the stress of worrying about school supplies in such difficult times.
As members of the youth group at the Ethical Humanist Society, we learned about Ethical Friends of Children, a nonprofit organization here on Long Island. They assist more than 2,500 children and their families each year by providing them with clothing and infant furniture at no cost. The organization quickly became the home for our idea.
Source from Lyn Dobrin
Khushi Shah, Jim LoPresti, Saanvi Mirchandani, Richard Nicolello, and Dr. Faccio pose with the supplies they distributed.
We decided to set up a GoFundMe page and notified family and friends through social media, eventually raising over $6,400. With the money, we purchased supplies such as backpacks, folders, pencils, and glue sticks for Ethical Friends of Children, who distributed them to families and organizations in need.
“We did not expect this fundraiser to become as big as it did, and we are so grateful for everyone who donated and spread the word...”
The most surprising part of this project for us? The overwhelming response and support we received from donors and the community. We did not expect this fundraiser to become as big as it did, and we are so grateful for everyone who donated and spread the word. This project would not have been possible without them. The fundraiser received media coverage from both Newsday and CBS, further increasing the amount of support we received. Eventually, we were able to pass our original goal by $1,400.
We are extremely proud of the work that we have accomplished and the difference we have been able to make. It is so rewarding to finally see the smiles on all the kids’ faces knowing we have made such a positive impact on their lives and education. We are motivated by our work this summer and are interested in coming up with a social service project to serve a larger community in the future!
Click here for the CBS News coverage: