Today we’d like to introduce you to Shreyaa and Esha Venkat. They and their team shared
their story with us below:
Millions globally lack access to basic necessities and support systems—proof that the world needs people to spark change. So, we thought, why couldn’t that be us? That’s why we, Shreyaa Venkat, a 20-year-old junior at Georgetown University, and Esha Venkat, a 17-year-old senior at Broad Run High School created the 501©3 nonprofit NEST4US, which was formed as a philanthropic platform built upon kindness, generosity, and social good.
The mission of NEST4US is to make the world better through kindness by mobilizing volunteers worldwide to advance progress on societal issues and spark equitable solutions for the greater good. Through five core programs, we tackle 14+ of the UN SDGs and a plethora of societal issues including global hunger, climate change, mental health, quality education, gender equity, poverty, etc. We support various vulnerable populations including the homeless community, low-income families, refugees, underprivileged kids,
orphans, kids with disabilities, veterans, senior citizens, foster kids, students in Title 1 schools, oppressed minority groups, etc.
At NEST4US, we not only supply essential resources such as nutritious meals, blessing bags containing toiletries & PPE, & academic materials, but also societal awareness through interactive workshops & social media engagement to spur words into action. Most importantly, we foster a sense of community fueled by love & compassion, by providing an overarching support system for every individual we come across. This dual approach of awareness and action enables us to fulfill our vision of empowering people of all demographics to create a more inclusive world for everyone, everywhere. Through the formation, development, and expansion of NEST4US, we’re constantly
seeking new humanitarian opportunities to enrich our lifelong endeavors by spreading awareness, advancing dialogue, and taking action in local, national, and global communities. By providing volunteer opportunities for anyone and everyone, we inspire people of different races, ages, genders, ethnicities, and socioeconomic statuses to follow their passions and serve in meaningful ways.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Giving back has been an integral part of our lives since childhood, during which we discovered our passion for service. We started giving back from a very young age, especially with our mom who would bring us along to volunteer at school and community events even back in elementary school. That was when we were first introduced to the world of community service.
We had so much fun giving back in the community, especially with our own family, that we wanted to create opportunities where other families and friends could volunteer together and explore their passions! We think that’s what was key: we were so passionate about volunteering right from the beginning. That’s what led us to form NEST4US, through which we offer a multitude of volunteer opportunities where people of all ages and backgrounds can discover their service “niche” and be part of the solution! What once began as a small project seven years ago is now a multifaceted global organization fueled by 5,500+ volunteers who’ve contributed over 2.5 million dollars in value of volunteer hours, impacting tens of thousands in over 30 countries across 6 continents. But this didn’t come about easily.
Since childhood, we’ve faced many hardships stemming from systemic inequality being Gen-Z Indian-American female entrepreneurs. We were told that it was wrong to be proud of our duality, of our Indian heritage and American home. We soon realized we weren’t the only ones being treated this way. Millions worldwide face judgment and scorn for simply being who they are. And that’s absolutely unacceptable. When people judge you based on things you can’t control, like your skin color or background, it’s often hard not to feel angry or hurt. However, through these experiences, we’ve learned how important it is, especially with all the negativity in the world, to join together and look at people’s differences as strengths that unify us as humans rather than things that set us apart from each other.
Despite these adversities, we’ve turned our pain into purpose by creating NEST4US as an inclusive multifaceted hub of service opportunities built upon mutual respect, empathy, and kindness, through which we connect communities worldwide by devising innovative solutions rooted in intergenerational, intercultural, & intersectional change.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
To us, a true leader is someone who not only positively impacts people, but also inspires them to take charge themselves. Over the years, we’ve carried this mindset into everything we’ve indulged in—the arts, as 3rd-degree black belts and instructors in martial arts and lead dancers in our hip-hop & kathak teams; sports, as travel soccer players and certified referees; academics, as inquisitive honor students in the classroom; and service, as versatile change agents in numerous global organizations.
As Points of Light Youth Network Leaders & Brand Ambassadors, UN CSW Delegates, Clinton Global University Initiative Mentors, Rare Beauty Ambassadors, Giving Tuesday Chapter Heads, Good Deeds Day Ambassadors, YOUNGA Youth Delegates, Be Strong Global Representatives, Chegg Global Student Prize Envoys, IBM Call for Code Eminent Judges, ICANHELP Shark Tank Judges, Civics Unplugged Fellows, World Wildlife Fund First Citizen Scientists, American Eagle Future Together Ambassadors, Steelcase Social Innovation Fellows, DoSomething Representatives, Rileys Way Call For Kindness Mentors, & Global Peace Delegates, we drive comprehensive social reform by working with change agents across all levels and advocate for an integrated approach to the world’s most pressing issues.
Additionally, we’ve advocated for the Global Goals at hundreds of renowned venues including The Gates Foundation, The King Center, The Clinton Foundation, United Nations, IBM, Facebook, Lead National Conferences, George H.W. Bush Foundation, Victoria’s Secret PINK, Lead India Foundation, L’Oreal Paris, PeaceJam, Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Foundation, etc. Furthermore, our story has been shared across many notable media outlets, including TODAY Show, Forbes, People, Reader’s Digest, Good Morning America, WUSA9, Lifetime TV, Fox News, New York Times, ABC7, Scholastic, Variety, Global Heroes Magazine, NBC, Daily Mail, etc.
According to us, transforming the future involves innovation, hard work, and cooperation between diverse communities, paired with compassionate leaders, cohesive teams, and collaborative cultures in order to achieve the common goal of a united and just world. We believe that there’s no such thing as too big of a problem or too small of an action, especially when we ALL work together to tackle such issues. All it takes is one tiny step, which, when taken by all of us, can turn the world in the right direction. Imagine if all 8 billion of us on planet Earth did one act of kindness every day. Think of how much brighter and better the world would be if compassion and generosity became the norm. We believe that peace, love, and equality will drive our world to a positive future. For us, success is best measured by hard work and dedication; thus, we want to be known for the impact we make on people’s lives, not for personal recognition. We also hope to leave behind a legacy defined by love and kindness, with people remembering us as leaders who led from the heart and truly made a difference in the world!
We all have different ways of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
Through our personal and professional experiences over the years, it has become evident that every action taken by an individual sparks a series of cascading waves. Building upon this, it’s within one’s own power to decide what kind of ripple one wants to make in the world.
Our definition of success alludes to acting upon this power daily, leveraging one’s unique gifts and strengths to slowly, yet steadily, carve the mark one wants to leave on the world with each and every endeavor undertaken. Taking this concept one step further, we believe that understanding one’s own individual purpose and legacy is crucial in order to start creating a world in which our future generations will feel proud to live! This will ensure we as a society realize a future where love overpowers hate, peace outweighs war, positivity outshines negativity, and kindness is the norm!
To us, legacy elicits leaving behind an intangible piece of yourself after every interaction with a fellow human that brings a joyful smile, bright thought, or hopeful memory even decades later. Hence, we hope to leave behind one defined by the impact we make on people’s lives— a testament to the hope, love, and light we have and will continue to leave in each and every life we touch during our time on this planet.
NEST4US Social Media:
● Website: www.nest4us.org
● Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joinnest/
● Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nest4us
● Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/nest4us/
● Twitter: https://twitter.com/joinnest4
● Youtube: NEST4US
● Other: https://www.nest4us.org/about-meet-the-founders.html
Image Credits
NEST4US
