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 fulfil 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 fulfil 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.
Meet Our Team
Priya Gangwani
Co Founder & President 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
Co Founder & Vice President 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. |
Lisa Freeman
Secretary READ BIO
Lisa has had a diverse range of careers, both in the for-profit as well as the nonprofit world. A small business owner when her children were very young, she transitioned into an arts and education position during the last ten years of her career. Volunteer coordinator duties in several positions allowed her to work with a wide variety of community partners. In 2018, she spent a year in the public school’s system as a kindergarten aide. Many of the students in the elementary school were from immigrant and refugee families who were financially strapped to meet immediate needs for their children. While volunteering on a committee with Grassroot Projects, Lisa offered her services to the organization as the Secretary. Lisa looks forward to helping Grassroot Projects continue to expand their reach in the Indianapolis and Seattle areas. |
Sarah Jo Tharp
Board Member 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
Board Member 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. |
Chithra Adams
Board Member READ BIO
Dr. Adams has more than a decade of experience in program evaluation having evaluated diverse program areas including behavioral health, substance use, housing, wellness, recreation, and employment. Her extensive experience in conducting mixed-methods evaluations of programs that implement evidence-based practices at the local and regional levels are a great asset as we continue to expand in both the Indianapolis and Seattle communities Grassroot Projects serves. Having volunteered with nonprofits that focus on children, Chithra believes in the power of community and that meaningful change can happen when we create a mutual network of inter-dependence. |
Rakesh Gangwani
Treasurer |