Two Naperville siblings are helping students head back to class this fall with more than just school supplies.
“Our back-to-school drive is focused on helping students start the new year with a boost of confidence and focus on learning in school instead of worrying about needing school supplies,” said Aahana Chawla, a sophomore at Neuqua Valley High School.
Hope for Youth supports Naperville families
Aahana and Vihaan Chawla are co-founders of Hope for Youth, a nonprofit they started to support families in need.
“Growing up in Naperville, we assumed that everyone is fine [and] no one was struggling,” said Aahana. “But then, when we started to volunteer in local organizations, we realized a lot of people are struggling to meet the basic necessities. So that’s what inspired us to start Hope for Youth to help those families whose struggles are very hidden and give them support.”
Aahana and Vihaan set up donation boxes at the Fry Family YMCA, Naperville public libraries, and local schools, spreading the word on social media.
“People donate, and then when the location calls us, we pick them up, start organizing, and then when the drive’s over, we go to the donation area and donate to them,” Aahana said.
Back-to-school drive helps Chicago school
Donations from their school supply drive will be given to Monarcas Academy in Chicago after the drive ends on July 20.
“We have backpacks, pencils, rulers, erasers, markers, a lot of things that you need for school,” Vihaan said.
The Chawlas have organized several drives since they started Hope for Youth last November.
“We’ve done a book drive where we collected 800 books for Hamline Elementary School in Chicago,” said Vihaan, an eighth grader at Crone Middle School. “Then we did a hygiene drive where we collected more than 500 hygiene products and donated them to People’s Resource Center, a local nonprofit. Then we did a food drive where we donated 200 plus food items to families in need, and most recently we did a blood drive where we collaborated with Red Cross.”
The future of Hope for Youth
The siblings are already looking ahead to their next community effort.
“Our goal in the future is to keep expanding, get more volunteers to help out. We’re planning our next one to be for volunteers to help out at senior homes where we can play games, do activities with them, just help out in general,” Aahana said.
“We’re enjoying collecting, organizing, and just seeing how generous people are,” Vihaan said.
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