Short Hills Girl, 11, Earns 'Disney Summer of Service' Grant

SHORT HILLS, NJ – Etasha Donthi, an 11-year-old from Short Hills, has been awarded a Disney Summer of Service grant through YSA (Youth Service America).

According to a news release, the grant will help Donthi carry out a community service project that addresses the issue of children living in poverty, providing them food, pure drinking water, shelter and education.

According to the release:

"Etasha Donthi started 'Hope and Joy for Children' to help kids around the world living in poverty. Her friends Rayna Batreja and Sakshi Mishra joined her to help sell the products. She makes creative and detailed origami art. They sell these products, raise the funds and send the profits to Save the Children, a non-profit organization."

Hope and Joy for Children will host a fundraising event from 2 to 5 p.m., on March 25, at the Bauer Center, 100 Main Street in Millburn. Money raised will be used to "help children living in poverty, who may be refugee victims or orphans who cannot fulfill their basic needs," organizers say.

Founded in 1986, YSA (Youth Service America) supports a global culture of engaged children and youth committed to a lifetime of meaningful service, learning, and leadership. With half the world’s population under age 25, YSA’s mission is to help young people find their voice, take action, and make an impact on vital community issues. For more information, visit www.YSA.org.

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