EAST BRUNSWICK–Equipped with a sense of duty and gift-filled packages, high school student Austin Yang founded the Balanced Boxes New Jersey chapter that provides boxed goodies to children in need.
At just 16 years old, Austin is the chapter founder and head of the nonprofit organization.
“Balance Boxes is a nonprofit organization that, through donations, partnerships and grants, provides children in low-income communities all around New Jersey books, toys, snacks, and school supplies in the form of fun, thematic boxes,” the East Brunswick High School junior said.
Personally, Austin said he decided to start the chapter because of New Jersey’s inequality.
“Even though the state has some of the most affluent areas in the nation, it also has the nation’s poorest. I found it an obligation to use my privileged position to help those who are less fortunate,” he said.
Despite the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, Austin said he decided to start the organization’s first and only New Jersey chapter all by himself in May 2020.
He said the organization has about 25 chapters nationwide.
Since starting the chapter, Austin said he and other members have raised more than $25,000 in monetary and in-kind donations, which they have used to create boxes to donate.
Austin said his chapter has donated more than 500 boxes to children’s centers and churches.
