EDISON – Hope4spandana (H4S) spreads awareness about autism and raises funds through the medium of art to support underprivileged children diagnosed with various mental challenges.
The nonprofit organization is run by young adults who are in college and children from high schools, middle schools and elementary schools. H4S was founded by Sharwani Kota in 2012, who is now a junior in college. The organization that started with one person grew to 100 children who are in colleges across the United States from various school districts in New Jersey, according to information provided by Lakshmi Kota.
H4S hosted a Thanksgiving lunch on Nov. 28 at the Edison Fire Department to thank the firefighters for their services to the community. H4S members presented the fire crew with flower bouquets, chocolates and eco-friendly bags.
The Edison Fire Department then donated $110 back to H4S.
The children who participated in event are founder Sharwani Kota, secretary Arya Masand, secretary Reema Sharma, Prakruthi Ankem, Anirudh Bhamidipati, Srinidhi Rajaraman, Satwika Kota, Satyasai Singaraju, Nidhish Nandyala, Getika Doshi, Rohit Boga, Aditya Dwasari, Prabhat Ankem and Ritwik Nandyala.
H4S children have been working on this cause more than eight years, and have conducted more than 100 events and raised around $150,000 in last three years alone, according to Lakshmi Kota.
H4S adopted two schools in India where they have more than 75 underprivileged children in each school diagnosed with various spectrum of autism disorders and other mental disabilities. H4S built a facility in Ananthpur, India. The organization provides physical therapy, speech therapy, nutrition food and school supplies to these adopted schools, according to Lakshmi Kota.
Hope4Spandana is affiliated with Saint Peter’s University Hospital in New Jersey, funding the autism research project done by Dr. Jyonouchi.
The organization’s goal is continue to support 150 children adopted from two schools and adopt more schools to extend helping underprivileged children with various mental disabilities, according to Lakshmi Kota.
