THE HURON EMERY | ISSUE 5: MAY 4 | FEATURE
Nishita Shah’s journey to advocacy RIDHIMA KODALI OPINION EDITOR
“[Giving back] taught me important values like compassion, being involved and leadxxxxxxNishita Shah felt ership,” Shah said. “Through something. It was like a each and every experience, I glimmer. Or maybe a spark. learned the world and I found She didn’t know exactly what my place in how I can help it was, but she knew it was and inspire other people.” something. In September, 2020 Instantaneously, she volunteered once a week Shah told her parents: at a local, vegetarian restau “It’s speaking out to rant, Hut-K Fusion, where me and this is something I she provided food to homehave to do.” less shelters. That same spark or “Now, more than glimmer came from when she ever, it is important to help helped others. support the homeless,” Shah At the age of nine, said. “COVID has taken away Shah knew that she wanted jobs, sources of income and to help out the community, made it a lot harder to find specifically homeless shelters. homeless shelters and to stay It had been a lifelong goal of supported.” hers. Shah wanted to “It’s volunteer at these nonprofits always specifically been in because she my mind personally that we had the do someopportunity thing,” to help out Shah in providing said. “Do food for the someshelter. thing to After help the volunteercommuing a couple nity by weeks in a giving row, Shah back and came to her to show parents and my apNISHITA SHAH, 12 said: preciation “It and love feels amazfor the ing and I world.” can’t help but feel that there’s Shah began her volmore to do. More that I could unteering journey in eighth do.” grade, through a nonprofit That was when the organization, Key2Finnesse. idea of “Nishi-Inspired” was She raised money to bring born. Shah’s parents were awareness to other nonprofits very supportive of her and like PALAV, Blessings In a overjoyed with the idea. Backpack, Gleansers and Gift “I was very proud of Of Life Foundation. Nishita when she shared her desire to help our community in this difficult time,” Shah’s mom Kavita said. “I could feel her passion through her bright eyes and confident speech, that this
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It’s so important for us to make sure that our community here, and across the world, is united and help support each other.”
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something so close to her heart, and she will pursue no matter what obstacles come in her way.” Late December, 2020 “Nishi-Inspired” came to life. For Shah, a lot went into creating this nonprofit and it was a long and difficult process. “Nishi-Inspired” has multiple missions: feeding the homeless and less fortunate, promoting vegetarianism, reducing water usage and the environmental footprint and protecting animal life. Its main mission is to provide nutritious vegetarian food (a healthier alternative) to less fortunate people. “With all of these missions, I think it benefits “Nishi-in spired” has partnered with Hut-K fusion to provide nutrious dishes to everyone,” homeless shelters. Shah is working to pepare the food above. COURTESY OF Shah said. NISHITA SHAH “It’s very, very, critical to start an organization, Shah that we help out each other, because the number of people offers this advice: “You should go for HOW TO HELP who are homeless just rose it,” Shah said. “If you have the due to all of the unfortunate THE HOMELESS passion for it, you know that circumstances.” you will be able to continue POPULATION The goal is to raise this and do it with all your $10,000 to feed one hundred heart.” people once a week in Ann Shah will continue 1. DONATE ITEMS Arbor, at the Safe House her organization as long as Many shelters are in Shelter for domestic abuse violence and the Delonis Home- she can and hopes to pass it to need of food, slightly her family, friends but most less Shelter for unemployed used items or personof all, she hopes to carry that people, senior citizens and spark and glimmer with her al hygiene items. less fortunate people. As of everywhere she goes. April, 2021, Shah has raised 2. FUNDRAISE “Helping out the 50 percent of the 10,000 dolcommunity isn’t just about MONEY lars. spreading awareness or giving “I was overThrough Facebook or your time,” Shah said. “It’s joyed,” Shah said with a big, GoFundMe, you can also about knowing that you wide smile. “It meant that easily raise money for are doing it from the heart. now I can help even more homeless shelters or people through their kind and This makes it a lot more meaningful and that’s where organizations across generous contribution.” the unity aspect comes from, After comthe country. as you all have one goal in pleting that, she wants to mind: to help each other out.” 3. VOLUNTEER AT raise $70,000 so they can With her eyes sparfeed one hundred people evA SHELTER kling and a beaming face, she ery single day. In addition, added, “That’s the beauty of Many homeless shelShah hopes to spread the it.” ters allow people to initiative of helping the homeless community nationally by help with hands-on the end of 2022. assistance. “You really have to realize, ‘it’s not just you,’ 4. ADVOCATE FOR SCAN HERE Shah said. “I think everyone POLICY CHANGES gets a hint of it sometime in Write to your contheir life and it’s their choice gressmen to advowhether they act on it or not.” For others who want cate for policies that
address and reduce “Nishi-inspired” and Hut-K Fusion volunteer by chopping, mixing, washing, preparing and delivering vegetarian food themselves. COURTESY OF NISHITA SHAH
to learn more about “Nishi-inspired”
homelessness.