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Investing in our youth with Altruism

Spreading the privilege of literacy; page by page, book by book.

Mission:

Altruism has a plethora of goals and motives, all of which are centered around the common theme of spreading literacy. These include:

  • Distributing reading material to members of the underprivileged youth in our areas of operation.
  • Organizing reading seminars with students in order to present reading as fun and enjoyable.
  • Forming partnerships with schools to continuosly donate to.
8

Chapters

135

Volunteers

24000

Supplies Donated

3

Countries

Our Model

Below are the steps we generally take to complete one project at Altruism:

Recruitment

Contact local libraries or community centers to look for any excess books.

Scouting

Identify a school in need of such books, preferably in close proximity to one of our chapters, and consult them.

Collecting Books

We then proceed to accumulate books at book drives and other events of the sort, hosted in our areas of operation.

Verification

After reaching a sufficient amount of books, we check that they are all in reasonable condition, subsequently classifying them by genre and age group.

Shipment

We then inform the school receiving the material of the arrival date and time.

About us

Altruism is a 501(c)(3) certified non-profit organization and literacy campaign, seeking to promote literacy by distributing reading material to members of the underprivileged youth worldwide, regardless of their race or socioeconomic status, entirely free of cost. Passionate about instilling a pattern of learning within individuals, we at Altruism strive to allow every young child to have books readily accessible to them. Schools, community centers, and other locations within close proximity to our several chapters are what primarily serve as “sites” for our events. For more about our solution to the problem we seek to lessen, scroll down. Here's how Altruism helps the wider community:

Clears up book caches

Helping schools and libraries get rid of older, less-used books, freeing up space for newer books to occupy shelves.

Form Connections

Forming connections with new people has the potential to increase awareness about societal problems that they may not be cognizant of.

Increases literacy around the world

Assisting in the promotion of literacy in underfunded schools in less-fortunate areas across the globe is a responsibility demanded by our motive.

 
The Problem

In less fortunate areas, many public schools simply lack the adequate funds to purchase a sufficient amount of books and other school supplies in classrooms, generally depriving children of the educational experience that they should experience. In a day and age where education is becoming more of a necessity, helping schools in such areas is absolutely imperative in ensuring that every young child is granted equal opportunity, regardless of their socioeconomic status or race, allowing them to prosper.

Our Solution

At Altruism, we actively organize book drives and distribute books to schools in impoverished areas around the globe. The best part? We do this entirely free of cost. We further support these schools by organizing fundraisers and assisting in the supply of other educational material, such as pencils, whiteboards, and notepads. Through these actions, Altruism is carving the pathway for all students to explore their passions without the fear of facing any barriers or obstructions. We whole-heartedly value all children that we donate to, and acknowledge that their socioeconomic status, race, or anything in between should not serve as hindrance in accessing the quality education that they deserve.

Our Story

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Our story started 3 years ago when co-founder Anish Reddy was visiting a small village in his native India, in what turned out to be a life-changing experience. There, he took note of the countless number of schools that lacked sufficient books, resources, and many other essential school supplies. Back in his New Jersey hometown on the other side of the world, Saif Nabi, the other co-founder, observed the disparity in the quality of educational resources just minutes away from where he attended school. Aware of their own privileges, the two collectively came to the consensus that action had to be taken to help those who were not granted with the same educational opportunities as themselves. Shocked to discover that there was no major initiative or organization in the local community to tackle this issue, they founded Altruism, assembling a diverse team of passionate, young individuals from across the globe, all with the same motive; to promote literacy and distribute books to those who don’t have them readily available.

 
Greystar Logo

Partners

In addition to partnerships with local organizations and libraries, Altruism has partnered with several major companies.

In September of 2022, Altruism was proud to announce its collaboration with Greystar Real Estate Partners, one of the largest real estate companies in the United States, as part of their company-wide philanthropic initiative, “Greystar Giving.” Together, we are set to conduct a series of book drives with Greystar chapters from around the U.S. and Canada.

Altruism is also proud to have been selected to co-author a children's book with Cricket Media, a literary magazine company.

In February of 2023, we are set to be the topic of What School Could be CEO Kapono Ciotti's documentary.

Subscribe to our monthly Newsletter at the bottom of this page to stay up to date with these exciting events.

Recognition

From local newspapers to leading political figures capable of taking action to work towards our motive, Altruism is honored to showcase the following recognition. We believe that it serves as the foundation in amplifying our message.

...
President Joe Biden
...
Senator Cory Booker
...
Senator Bob Menendez
...
CentralJersey.com

Testimonials

Growing up in a lower-income part of Taipei, as a child, I didn't have access to many books, toys, or really anything that some of my more affluent relatives had. It felt as if I had missed out on a part of my childhood, a part that every child should remember. In a world that overlooks and disregards the less fortunate, I believe Altruism has a great cause and will continue to accomplish great things.

Yi-Jen Kong

Entrepreneur and Co-founder of Puriya, a manufacturer of plant-rich skin creams

The members of the Altruism team all portray a level of competence and coordination that we see present in many successful organizations today. I fully support their mission and the impact they strive to make in our ever-changing planet.

Dr. Sindy Augustin

Led a speakership event with Altruism

My time volunteering for Altruism has taught me the importance of never taking anything for granted. As a team, we're one tight-knit family giving back to our broader human family. That's what I love about it.

Saad Baig

Altruism Volunteer

Altruism has embarked on a journey with a strong foundation to a successful mission - quenching the thirst for knowledge through a supply chain of the books and tools required to deliver the basic needs for those who are our world's future.

Anurag Avlash

Altruism Donor & Estee Lauder Companies Executive

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Though its true meaning is describable beyond words, in short, the word “Altruism” refers to the belief in or practice of selfless concern for the well-being of others. Our organization’s name emphasizes that our actions are charitable and motivated purely by altruism.

  • To get involved with Altruism, we first ask that you check our existing chapters list and see if any of these are in close proximity to you. If this is the case, then you can register by clicking on the “Register” button on the navigation bar of this website. Be sure to choose the correct chapter that you intend to volunteer for on the registration form!

    If there is no chapter within close proximity to you, we encourage that you consider starting a new chapter by clicking on the following chapter application form link: here

    After reviewing your responses to the questions on the new chapter application form, we will call you for an interview to evaluate moral character. We look to recruit people who we sense are capable of operating a chapter and will effectively work towards Altruism’s motive.

  • Joining Altruism evidently has a beneficial impact on both the community and our volunteers. Ask any of our volunteers and they will agree that distributing books to those in need has a deeply rewarding feeling. Although we remain in professional character at all events, you’re guaranteed to have a great time. Most importantly, your efforts do not go unnoticed. We distribute volunteer hours, which are signed by a member of the executive team upon request. As a proud President’s Service Volunteer Awards (PVSA) certifying organization, we honor volunteers who fulfill all requirements with awards. Learn more at https://presidentialserviceawards.gov/

  • Though Altruism is headquartered in the United States, we also have chapters in two other countries around the world. To start a chapter in your area, click on the following chapter application form link:

    Application for a new Altruism chapter

Founders


Anish Reddy

Co-President/Executive Director of the International Board

Saif Nabi

Co-President/Executive Director of the International Board

International Board


Akshath Pissay

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎Head of the Bangalore, India Chapter‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎

Andrew Hse

‌ Head of the Greater Los Angeles, California Chapter‎

Leona Alonso

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎Head of the Houston, Texas Chapter ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎‎

Fahmia Rahman

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎Head of the British Columbia, Canada Chapter ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎

Kabir Oberoi

Head of the Princeton Junction, New Jersey Chapter

Riya Prakash

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎Head of the Marlboro, New Jersey Chapter ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎

Jasmine Foo

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎Head of the Ontario, Canada Chapter ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎

Shweta Nadagouda

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎Head of the Westchester, New York Chapter ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎

Chapters

Princeton Junction, New Jersey

Greater Los Angeles, California

Westchester, New York

Houston, Texas

Marlboro, New Jersey

Ontario, Canada

British Columbia, Canada

Bangalore, India

Contact

Our Address

18 Sparrow Drive, West Windsor, NJ, 08550

Email Us

team@altru1sm.org

Call Us

+1 (908) 552-8174