philanthropy in action
Good Stewardship Starts Young The Chowdhury Family By Jana Bruns P ‘22 ‘24 ‘26
H
ow does a smart, gorgeous young woman come to eschew the glitz of Bollywood for a life devoted to education, family and philanthropy? The answer is simple, says Gulliver parent Ravneet Chowdhury P ‘24 ‘32: “I was raised to believe that these are things that really matter. Education, family and charity are what you take to your grave.” Chowdhury smiles as she flicks through family photos showing her, her two children and her husband engaged in charitable activities around South Florida: selling homemade brownies in a Winn-Dixie parking lot to raise money for children’s health initiatives, handing warm meals to residents in Overtown, giving presents to patients at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital, running a charity race. For the Chowdhurys, philanthropy is a family enterprise. Every Saturday morning at 8:30, Nirvair and Kabir Chowdhury, who are in grades six and PreK3 at Gulliver Academy, drive with their father Anand to distribute around 400 lunches to people in need. They also visit patients at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital, bake cookies for them and attend hospital fundraisers – all part of their weekend routine. “We are trying to teach our children that good stewardship and social responsibility are values they should start to live by when they’re young, not when they’re middle-aged,” says Ravneet, who is President and In-house Counsel of the family’s perfume wholesale and distribution business, Miami Perfume Junction. Last year, the Chowdhurys took a bold step towards imprinting these values on their children with a generous donation to Nicklaus Children’s Hospital, which renamed the hospital’s outpatient facility the Nirvair Chowdhury Midtown Center, in honor of their son. “Nirvair will probably think twice about partying in Miami Beach when he’s older, knowing there is a hospital around the corner that bears his name,” Ravneet says mischievously. Yet, even when the Chowdhurys are enjoying
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themselves, compassion and concern for others are always part of the equation. Take Nirvair’s birthday parties (eagerly anticipated by students at Gulliver Academy), to which the entire grade is invited, and which are perfect showcases of the Chowdhury family’s talent for combining generosity and philanthropy. “We have a deal with Nirvair that, in exchange for a fabulous party, he must deliver all his presents to children at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital,” Ravneet says. Moreover, the gift bags guests receive at the end of the night often have a philanthropic component. For Nirvair’s 11th birthday, for example, guests took home piggy banks with instructions for collecting donations for a charity of their choice. “I wanted the kids to feel in control,” Ravneet says. “[I wanted] to empower them – to show them that philanthropy is something they too can pursue, not just their parents.” While weekly outings feeding Miami’s needy are a father-son activity in the Chowdhury household, Ravneet focuses on children’s health and health education. “I chose to become involved with Nicklaus Children’s Hospital because, as a mother, I know firsthand how crucial it is to have access to excellent pediatric care. Working moms are especially vulnerable, because we are expected to drop everything, including our work, when our children are sick,” she says. “I am also very invested in women’s issues. I believe that making sure children are healthy and have