CH3 was founded in 2014 by six passionate teens from Long Island with the mantra ‘Children Helping Children. Since then, it has grown tremendously and now has 3 teams on Long Island, in Manhattan, and in New Jersey. From creative fundraising to team building events and spreading awareness on the go, CH3 members are resolute in their mission. The funds raised go towards serving underprivileged children in their communities.
Founding CH3 Board Members:
Divya Advani, Karishma Kamat, Rhea Manjrekar, Fatemah Mukadum, Milan Sani
Annual Events:
- Summer Camp Scholarship: Each summer, 30 homeless children are sponsored to attend an 8-week, all-expenses-paid camp. The experience includes pool outings, amusement park trips, and transportation, giving the children a chance to create lasting memories.
- Hope in a Backpack: New backpacks filled with school supplies are personally delivered to children in local shelters, ensuring they start the school year with confidence and the necessary tools to succeed.
- Thanksgiving Food Drive: Full Thanksgiving meals, including turkey and all the fixings, are provided to families facing food insecurity, bringing warmth and comfort during the holiday season.
- Holiday Gifts: Holiday gifts and homemade baked goods are hand-delivered to children in shelters, creating moments of joy and connection during the winter season.
Fundraisers that Fuel the Mission
- 3v3 Basketball Tournament: A high-energy basketball tournament that becomes more competitive each year. The winning team is awarded $150 Amazon gift cards and, of course, bragging rights!
- Walkathon/Bikeathon: The largest fundraiser of the year, this event brings the community together to walk, bike, and cheer for underserved youth. The funds raised help support and sustain vital programs.
- Car Wash: A fun and engaging car wash event held each summer, where volunteers wash cars to raise funds and spread smiles, making a visible impact in the community.
- Halloween Pet Costume Contest: An adorable fundraiser where furry friends dress up and compete for the best costume, creating a festive, fun, and paws-itively delightful atmosphere.
- Sweet Success at the Sadhu Vaswani Center’s Mela Event: In a beautiful display of teamwork and creativity – our kids took part in the fall Mela event – they sold homemade baked goods, bracelets, and had a tattoo station & face painting for the younger kids. Their energy and smiles turned heads and warmed hearts as they educated others about CH3 and its mission.
- Feeding Hearts at the Samaritan Homeless Shelter: Our kids prepared 218 packed lunches for the homeless shelter. Each bag not only included a sandwich and snacks, but a hand-crafted holiday card, which added a loving touch to each meal. The shelter was so grateful and reminded me that this was more than just food being delivered by our team, it was hope.
- Holiday Cheer for a Special Class: We adopted a classroom and fulfilled the holiday wishlists of one third-grade classroom in Newark, NJ. Each of our CH3 kids was paired with a child to fulfill a wishlist present from “Santa”. For many of these children, their families rely on shelters for support, so this was incredibly special for them and was more than just a gift.
- Valentine’s Day at Lakeland Healthcare Nursing Home: Our kids prepared and hosted a Special Valentine’s Day party for the residents at this nursing home. With homemade treats, warm chai, singing and most of all the dance party – our kids brought genuine happiness to the elderly residents. Watching our kids form these special connections across generations was truly heartwarming.