Conestoga High School Junior Aids Food Insecurity, Earns Award

TREDYFFRIN TOWNSHIP, PA — A Conestoga High School junior recently received the 2021 Hershey Heartwarming Young Heroes GYSD Award to help in his group's work organizing to feed the food insecure of Philadelphia.

Aditya Sirohi is the founder of Hand4Hand Global. Hand4Hand is a youth-run organization that spreads awareness, brings compassion, and builds empathy for those hit hardest by the pandemic — the elderly and those experiencing homelessness.

"Every action, small or little, has the potential to create a ripple effect! As youth, we have the potential to create the ripple of change impacting and influencing communities around us," a Hand4Hand statement reads.

With the help of volunteers, Hand4Hand has hosted multiple drives and projects in recent months, bringing awareness and empathy while feeding the homeless and spreading cheer and love to senior living.

On Global Youth Service Day, April 24, Hand4Hand hosted a dinner outside Philadelphia’s municipal building, focusing on those facing food insecurity in the wake of the pandemic.

With the help of Youth Service America, Hershey’s Heart Warming Heroes grant, and the community, with some restaurants donating as well, the group put together a healthy dinner representing diverse cultures. The event was called Taste Diversity.

As the 16-year-old and friends planned Taste Diversity, the community got on board.

"He got an overwhelming response not only from the community but from restaurants in Malvern, Berwyn, King of Prussia, and Wayne. We served food from India, Italian, German, Nigerian, American, Middle Eastern, Chinese, Sichuan, and Taiwanese," said Amita Mohan, Sirohi's mother.

Sirohi, along with fellow Conestoga students Hiroki Yamaguchi, Elena Schmidt, and Deepthi Sathya comprise the leadership for Hand4Hand. Each of the Hand4Hand members heads up work of special interest to them.

Over the winter of 2021, the group helped the Bethesda Project and Doing Our Part Eclectically (DOPE) in feeding and helping people experiencing homelessness. They donated warm clothes, boots, gloves, blankets, and formal dresses, along with non-perishable food items. They also provided healthy choices like fruits and homemade food to help DOPE run a successful Christmas dinner.

Over the holidays, the group arranged musical performances delivered to seniors by video, in their Good Vibes project and they made and distributed holiday cards to senior facilities.

Some projects are as simple as collecting aluminum for Ronald McDonald House, organized by Shrey Sitaram.