Nashua Soup Kitchen

Gathered multiple grocery items and created an assembly line with six of us performaning various tasks

Successfully made over 100 sandwiches and delivered to Nashua Soup Kitchen

Provided for people in need of food, as well as other hygienic items

Nashua Soup Kitchen was extremely pleased with our hard work

Before we engaged in this activity, we as a group really didn’t truly know what community service was. We held the common misconceptions about community service, that “we couldn't make a difference by ourselves”, or that “the problems we were facing were too big for some teenagers to help solve”. But to our surprise, community service was not at all what I expected. We realized this last week, when we helped create over 100 sandwiches for homeless individuals. We had the pleasure of working with the Nashua Soup Kitchen & Shelter, a non-profit organization that provides pantry ready food and hot meals to homeless individuals and families in the eastern Massachusetts and lower New Hampshire area. The organization also hosts a variety of fundraisers, which you can partake in through the link below! While our main goal was to provide meals for the hungry, we also knew that we had an incredible opportunity to inspire other teens like us to help out in their communities. We believed that if we could do this, anyone could.

The process in making the sandwiches and delivering them involved many steps, because of the way our group approached it. We took advantage of having numerous people, and created an assembly line. The older group of kids took part in making the sandwiches and bagging them. The first step in making the ham and cheese sandwich was putting the ham on the bread. Next, the cheese was put on the ham. Finally, the sandwich was bagged and passed on to the younger kids. The younger group of kids worked together to put additional beverages, fruits and granola bars in the final product.

The materials needed for this project were:

• 200 pieces of bread
• 100 slices of cheese
• 100 Ziploc bags
• 100 brown paper bags
• 100 apples
• 100 juice boxes (fruit punch, apple, berry)
• 5 cardboard boxes
• 100 chocolate chip granola bars

As a group, we felt the need to help out these individuals because they are in need of food. People like us always have food on the table, whereas the people we're helping out don’t know when their next meal will be. Our motivation behind this community service project was simply to provide food for people in need. We also did this in order to inspire other teens like us to reach out in their communities. If we can inspire more people our age to do community service, we believe that our overall community strength, which not only benefits us right now, but also those who may live here in the future. This whole process was a great experience for our whole group. We are very appreciative of this opportunity and hope to do this again, as it was a great experience for everyone involved. Thank you all for reading this, and we hoped we inspired some of you to do some community service in your communities as well.

Rajiv Paluri Foundation Basketball Tournament

Our project approach took many steps to plan out, and execute. First, we decided that people love the game of basketball, and also love money. We decided to create a basketball charity event for Rajiv Paluri's family, creating a win-win for both parties. The people could play in the tournament to get money, and we can donate money for a charitable cause. We also planned on charging each person $8, with 40 people in attendance. Throughout the day, we planned on no more than 20-25 people being there at once, to help prevent any likelihood of getting COVID-19. We spaced out the games, starting as early as 9:00 AM, and ending around 2:00 PM. Games would go on throughout that time, and would be filmed and score kept by HelpingMass. The tournament was single elimination, meaning that it was “win or go home.” At the conclusion of the championship game, (which took place at 2:00 PM) the family of Rajiv Paluri arrived to give the winning team their awards, and give a small speech.

Some materials needed for this charity event included:

• Multiple chairs
• Tables
• Scoresheets
• Printed Out Sign-in sheets
• Whistles (referee)
• Timer
• Online Flyers to promote the event

As a group, we wanted to do a basketball event because it is something that we like. We also know a lot of teens our age that love to play basketball. So it was easy to find people who wanted to play. Everyone enjoyed playing and we hope we can do more events like these in the future. Our motivation behind this was to raise money for the Rajiv Paluri Foundation. We ended up raising 500 dollars for the foundation which is great. We achieved both of our goals of raising money and having a fun tournament. This whole process was a great experience for everyone involved, especially during these hard times. We are very appreciative that people came to this event. We hope we can do something like this again. Thank you all for reading this, and we hope you were more inspired to go to more community service events.

Nearly three months ago we created our non-profit organization, HelpingMass, after we received inspiration from a community service activity that we engaged in. Today, we are extremely proud and honored to announce that we have completed our very own charitable event. We were able to hold a 5v5 basketball tournament in order to raise money for the Rajiv Paluri foundation. We came up with this idea by simply looking within ourselves and our community, as we know that basketball has a big impact in our town. This led us to create our knockout tournament in which the winner would receive 150$. The 9 teams involved competed fiercely from 9AM to around 3PM, and for that we would like to thank them, as they gave everything they had. Throughout the tournament we planned on collecting 300$ total, but thanks to the generosity of our competitors, we were actually able to raise 500$, which we would like to give an additional thanks for. Lastly, we would like to give a huge 'Thank you' to the Rajiv Paluri foundation for what they do in our community and also for their kind words at our event.

Community Charity Event: In Support of Rajiv Paluri Charity Foundation

In an effort to combine community fun with meaningful giving, I recently hosted the Community Charity Event in support of the Rajiv Paluri Charity Foundation. This exciting initiative brought together sports enthusiasts of all ages for a day of friendly competition, fun, and fundraising for a noble cause.

A Multi-Game Extravaganza

Held on Saturday, October 26th, from 2 PM to 7 PM, at Laughton Farms, 11 Boxwood Road, Westford, MA, the charity event offered a variety of activities for participants and spectators alike. The event featured three thrilling tournaments:

• Basketball
• Golf
• Pickleball

These games provided a perfect blend of strategy, skill, and fun, making them suitable for players of all abilities. Teams of two or more competed for exciting prizes, including a grand prize of $1,500 for the winning team. Tournament formats and rules were shared on the day of the event, ensuring a smooth and enjoyable experience for all.

Supporting a Worthy Cause

The Rajiv Paluri Charity Foundation is dedicated to making a positive impact on the lives of individuals and families in need. By organizing this event, I created an opportunity for attendees to enjoy a day of sports while contributing to a cause that supports our community and fosters hope.

Event Highlights

• Inclusive Competitions: With three sports to choose from, there was something for everyone. Whether participants were basketball enthusiasts, golf aficionados, or pickleball pros, the event offered an opportunity for all to shine.
• Friendly Atmosphere: Attendees met new people, enjoyed the scenic venue, and bonded over their shared love of sports.
• Giving Back: All proceeds went to the Rajiv Paluri Charity Foundation, amplifying the impact of everyone's participation.

A Celebration of Community Spirit

This event was not just about winning—it was about making a difference. It was a day to celebrate community spirit, showcase athletic skills, and contribute to a cause that matters. The turnout and enthusiasm from everyone involved made the event a memorable success.

Gratitude and Looking Ahead

I am incredibly grateful to all participants, supporters, and organizers who made this event possible. Together, we raised funds for the Rajiv Paluri Charity Foundation and reinforced the importance of collective action for a noble cause.

Thank you for being part of this journey. I look forward to organizing more such initiatives in the future to continue inspiring change and creating opportunities for giving back.

Inspired by the tidal wave of grassroots-led relief efforts after Hurricane Helene. SOS was created with one purpose in mind. Help the Helper