Grassroot Projects was formed as a result of multiple phone conversations between two friends as we tried to redefine our altruistic purpose in life.
As first-generation immigrants we realize how lucky we were to have had the social and financial support necessary for a successful transition to a new country . Unfortunately, there are many families that are either forced to flee their countries or have had to leave their country to look for opportunities for their families. Children continue to be most vulnerable population affected by such a move, and hence are the focus of our organization. We also extend our services to children who have not moved countries but have a genuine need for help based on their economic status.
We, at Grassroot Projects believe that providing support and investing in our children is crucial in securing a bright future for them. We help any deserving child in need irrespective of their origin, religion, color or creed, so long as they belong to a low income household and we see that there is a genuine need.
Every project we choose has a story attached to it and a promise given to a child that we care and that they are not alone. The needs are plenty and we are trying our best to fulfill as many needs as we can one project at a time!
Grassroot Projects is a 501(c)(3) tax exempt organisation registered in the State of Washington and State of Indiana. It was established in May 2017 and continues to work hard to assist underprivileged as well as refugee children living in the US.
As first-generation immigrants we realize how lucky we were to have had the social and financial support necessary for a successful transition to a new country . Unfortunately, there are many families that are either forced to flee their countries or have had to leave their country to look for opportunities for their families. Children continue to be most vulnerable population affected by such a move, and hence are the focus of our organization. We also extend our services to children who have not moved countries but have a genuine need for help based on their economic status.
We, at Grassroot Projects believe that providing support and investing in our children is crucial in securing a bright future for them. We help any deserving child in need irrespective of their origin, religion, color or creed, so long as they belong to a low income household and we see that there is a genuine need.
Every project we choose has a story attached to it and a promise given to a child that we care and that they are not alone. The needs are plenty and we are trying our best to fulfill as many needs as we can one project at a time!
Grassroot Projects is a 501(c)(3) tax exempt organisation registered in the State of Washington and State of Indiana. It was established in May 2017 and continues to work hard to assist underprivileged as well as refugee children living in the US.
CO-FOUNDERS
Priya Gangwani
Honorary Board Member/Executive Director (IN) READ BIO
Priya lives in Indianapolis, is a Physical therapist by profession, and moved to the US in 2003 to pursue her Masters from the University of Indianapolis. She was the Action center coordinator at U of I for CRY, a nonprofit benefiting underprivileged children in India. After graduation she has been involved in various fund raising efforts for NGOs such as WFP, CRY and Banyan (serves mentally ill women in India). She moved to Qatar and volunteered with ROTA ( Reach out to Asia) and also provided ESL classes to Korean women at the Korean Embassy in Qatar. Her passion for helping the underserved population led her to enroll in the Natural Helper Program at the Immigrant Welcome center. Her continued efforts to help children led her to establishing Grassroot Projects in 2017 along with her friend Nimisha. |
Nimisha Goyal
Honorary Board Member/Executive Director (WA) READ BIO
Nimisha lives in Seattle with her husband and their teenage son and daughter. Nimisha is a Physical therapist by qualification and loves working with the elderly. She graduated from the University of Indianapolis in 2002 and received her doctorate from Massachusetts General Hospital in 2007. She has strongly felt a need toward giving back since her teen years. In high school she was the President of the Environmental club, as well as the Interact club which focused on organizing collection drives for families living in poor socioeconomic conditions. Her passion for helping children continued into adulthood with being a volunteer with the polio eradication program in India. She also continues to volunteer with the PTSA at her children's schools. Priya and Nimisha first met in college in India in the late '90s and have been friends for over two decades. She's glad to be partnering with Priya as a co-founder of this essential organization. |
Board of Directors
Sarah Jo Tharp
President READ BIO
Sarah Tharp has a variety of volunteer experience, ranging from advocacy, to outreach, to serving and chairing a non-profit board of young leaders in the greater Seattle area. Professionally, she is a real estate broker/analyst working in both residential and government properties. Her passion for empowering folks with the support and resources needed through the organizations she serves, and enabling them to focus on things that matter most is the reason she joined Grassroot Projects. “If we can make each other’s journeys a little kinder, why wouldn’t we?” she believes. |
Graham Melendez
Vice President/Interim Secretary READ BIO
Graham was born in Cusco, Perú and moved to the U.S. as a young boy. Upon receiving a scholarship from the University of Evansville, he moved to Indiana in 2007 and graduated in 2011 with a Bachelor's in Psychology and a minor in Business Administration. Since 2018, Graham has been a staff member at the Immigrant Welcome Center and is currently the Community Impact Coordinator. In this role, he builds relationships with community partners & the immigrant community daily and these connections transform into resources for immigrants & refugees to survive and thrive as they navigate the U.S. system. In his spare time, Graham serves at LifeJourney Church as the clerk on the Board of Directors as well as the leader of the LGBTQIA+ young adult and high school groups. |
Oudumbar Rajput
Treasurer READ BIO
Oudumbar lives in Indianapolis and is an engineer by profession. He has always felt a need to actively contribute to the community and to serve a larger purpose. He has always been active in community service work, especially in the field of education, since his school days. He moved to the US in 2015 to pursue a Ph.D. program in engineering. While at graduate school, he worked as a Vice President of a collegiate chapter of the Engineering Ambassadors Network, a program to improve STEM literacy in rural schools. He successfully increased the chapter's member strength and attracted new school proposals. He also worked as a mechanical engineering representative at Graduate School Government, solving critical student problems by communicating with higher school management. After receiving his doctorate, he volunteered with GrassRoot Projects for more than a year before deciding to further his commitment by joining the core team. At Grassroot Projects, Oudumbar believes that he can bring meaningful changes in the lives of the immigrant families the organization serves by staying true to the organization’s mission. |
Jennifer Bui
Board Member READ BIO
Jennifer is a Seattle native who loves good coffee and challenging herself both professionally and personally. Through her background in marketing and business management, Jennifer has built a career around helping companies strategize optimal growth plans, identify gaps and opportunities to develop better processes, and manage overall organizational health. Jennifer’s family were refugees from Vietnam who came to America in 1975 and were connected to a compassionate and generous group of people within the Seattle community, who offered the help they needed to start their new life in a foreign country. Growing up with grateful parents, Jennifer learned the value of giving back and has been active in her community working to help underprivileged children, abandoned animals, and those living with food insecurities. Being part of Grassroot Projects, Jennifer hopes to be able to help remove challenges and barriers to enable children of immigrant families in order to have a healthy and safe childhood in their new home. |
Brittan Stockert
Board Member |
Julie Henson
Board Member READ BIO
Julie is an Indianapolis native, who lives on the east side with her husband, teenager, two cats, and a dog. She is the vice president of development at Coburn Place Safe Haven, an organization offering housing choices and support to families experiencing domestic violence and homelessness in central Indiana. She also serves on the board of the Indiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence. She is passionate about trauma-informed work, welcoming people with dignity and care, and kids having a fun and opportunity-filled childhood. |
Advisory Council
SonMichael Pham
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Becky Miller
READ BIO
Becky retired from a long and successful career as an elementary school educator and believes in the power of public education. She has worked tirelessly on the front lines with many of Washington Township’s ESL learners and loves seeing the spark of achievement once kids begin to grasp language skills and proficiency. Becky is currently an executive board member of the JCC Indianapolis. She is also the proud “Gigi” or grandmother to two adorable grandchildren. |
Olanike Olaniyi
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Karen Friss
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