Science 4 Communities, a non-profit volunteer club started in 2010 by students at High School South, recently created 14 Thanksgiving food baskets for families helped by HomeFront. The mission of the 4-H based club is to help communities by bringing health awareness and motivating the younger generation to include physical activity in their daily routine.
The club was founded in 2010 by Nikhil Dondapati, now a senior at High School South and president of the group. Members included his brother Akhil Dondapati, a sophomore at South, and neighborhood friends and fellow students.
Nikhil has been a strong supporter of HomeFront through summer volunteering as a camp counselor. HomeFront is a non-profit organization that helps parents work toward their GED and apply for sustainable jobs. “When we think of solving the issue of poverty, why not start in our own community?” Nikhil says. “HomeFront’s mission is to end homelessness in Mercer County.”
These young members have visited HomeFront and the WW-P School District Extended Day Program to teach children about healthy living, proper exercise habits, and a balanced diet.
During Thanksgiving, the club brought cheer to seven families in 2010 and 12 families in 2011 by providing baskets filled with canned goods, juices, desserts, and a gift card for turkey. During the summer, the club has provided back-to-school supplies including clothes, shoes, school supplies, and backpacks to four students in 2011 and six students in 2012.
This year the members collected food items in their communities and raised close to $400. The donors included residents of Heatherfield, Southfield, Princeton Chase, and Gentry communities. “This project has been a huge success for us the previous two years and this year went even better,” says Nikhil. “I am very appreciative of all the families who helped us contribute to this cause.”
The club, solely driven by students with a current membership of 14, is overseen by Vani Kodandaram, a volunteer leader with 4-H. For further information about the program contact Nikhil Dondapati at science4communities@gmail.com
