We deal with many community and global issues; it's time for us to get together and make a difference. NEST4US is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to work with communities to provide volunteer and leadership opportunities to make the world better through kindness. The founders of NEST4US are Shreyaa (17) and Esha Venkat (14), sisters from Northern Virginia.
Shreyaa and Esha wanted to get their community more involved, so they founded NEST4US as a platform for giving back to the community in a multitude of ways. As Shreyaa and Esha volunteered around the community, they noticed many homeless people didn't have access to food. They also noticed how so much food goes to waste every day. From this, they decided that NEST4US should focus on reducing food waste and feeding the hungry. Shreyaa and Esha also noticed how many people do community service solely for hours or some other incentive, which they believe defeats the purpose. In order to resolve this, NEST4US provides a variety of programs that allow people to give back by doing something that interests them. Through their social media platforms, they serve as advocates for positive change in the community and promote diversity and inclusion by welcoming people of all backgrounds to their volunteer family.
NEST4US stands for Newer Environment Starts Today. Their mission to create a newer, kinder environment where everyone, regardless of their background, can passionately serve the community in ways that interest them. The organization has gained many achievements such as being the Governor's Youth Volunteer of the Year, being a L'Oréal Paris Women of Worth Honoree, earning the United Nations Ambassador Award, and much more. For a full list of honors and awards they received, click here.
Their team of 900+ volunteers supports the homeless/low-income families and underprivileged kids through their 5 programs. NEST Nurtures (food redistribution program) serves 25,000+ homeless/low-income families and rescues excess food from corporate partnerships. They have supplied low-income families with 15,000+ care packages/school supply kits and “Birthdays in a Box” through NEST Kares and NEST Buddies. They also provide mentoring services globally impacting kids in over 32 schools through their free tutoring program NEST Tutors and leadership program, NEST Inspires. In 2019, their team has contributed $188,375 in value of volunteer hours.
NEST4US has currently partnered with Starbucks Food Recovery Program and Panera Bread's Day-End Dough-Nation Program. As the organization continues to expand, Shreyaa and Esha hope to partner with major grocery store chains such as Whole Foods, Safeway, Wegmans, and Giant to further reduce the negative ecological impact of food waste. They hope to teach these companies to turn "useless" food into meals for those who live hungry. Through partnerships with major food corporations and businesses, NEST4US hopes to broaden their impact on homeless communities and low-income families, reduce the drastic levels of food waste, and touch more lives.
Shreyaa and Esha want to create a ripple of kindness that spreads across the nation and eventually throughout the globe. They hope to empower the next generation of compassionate youth to integrate kindness, generosity, and social good into their routine. With continued support from organizations and businesses, NEST4US hopes to impact more communities and touch more lives on a larger, global scale.
Click here to view their website.