In the year since Cupertino High School freshman Prajval Sharma founded Mysupportforkids Foundation, the nonprofit has supported those in need in India and closer to home.
Prajval was inspired to create his nonprofit after visiting Blind School, Gadwal, Telangana, India in June 2019.
“During my visit in June, we provided food packets and basic supplies,” Prajval wrote on his website. “These kids come from low-income families and some from orphanages. We had a detailed session where I presented science concepts to them in a way they could understand. We also spent extended time having a Q&A session on as they wanted to know a lot about life in the USA.”
The COVID-19 pandemic spurred similar efforts in local communities, as well as in India. In late May, Mysupportforkids provided food to residents of Telangana and organized a drive-through food pickup at a Salvation Army in San Jose.
On May 30 Prajval and other volunteers traveled to Concow, a community in Butte County that was destroyed by the Camp Fire in 2018.
“Many residents there have not yet recovered from the impact of this deadly disaster,” he wrote. “The current pandemic has made survival even more difficult for the community and presented various challenges for kids’ nutrition as well.”
Mysupportforkids.org organized a drive-through site in Concow for distributing more than 100 food packs, hygiene kits and snack packs that included organic fruit juice and kids’ cereal.
The effort was a collaboration with SEWA International, a Hindu faith-based nonprofit.
Prajval raised funds for this event by tutoring on weekends and with a few donations.
“It is very important to give back to society,” he wrote, “specifically by doing more to help kids reach their maximum potential so that they will be able to develop into responsible citizens who can one day support their own families.
To donate to the Mysupportforkids Foundation, visit https://mysupportforkids.org. To volunteer, email to info@mysupportforkids.org.
