Youth Bay Area non-profit, Empower Essentials reaches a milestone of 2000 kits donated to homeless shelters

According to the Mercury News, the Bay Area's homeless population grew 6% to an estimated 38,891 people in 2024, according to new federal data, extending a decade-long surge fueled by the housing affordability crisis and drug and mental health challenges among those living on the region's streets. Homelessness is at a record high and continuing to rise as unemployment and housing costs increase. That's why a group of driven teenagers came together to uplift the homeless community, preparing essential kits for those in need, and has since hit an impressive milestone of 2,000 kits within just one year of inception.

After Sakthi Satrawada, a Bay Area high school student, discovered the drastic shortage of necessities for individuals residing in shelters, she was eager to make a dent in the overwhelming problem. Joining forces with like-minded peers, she decided to contribute her income as a math and reading tutor to fund and donate these kits. She teamed up with Shradha Rachamreddy, a Spelling Bee podium winner who tutors future competitors, to expand Empower Essentials and make a meaningful impact on their community.

"Growing up in Cupertino, I’ve always been sheltered from the harsher realities of the Bay Area. Although this fortunate circumstance allowed me to have a comfortable childhood, it also made it easy to overlook the many struggles that the homeless face," Sakthi noted. "I hope that our initiative not only empowers the homeless community, but also inspires my peers to give back as well!"

With limited prior exposure to the Bay Area's underserved population, Sakthi set out to understand what her intended audience truly needed. She found that the most pressing issue was hygiene, a daily standard of living that many take for granted. The team began with two types of kits: the first focused on dental hygiene, including toothbrushes, floss, mouthwash, and toothpaste; the second aimed to support female hygiene and comfort, containing high-quality, assorted pads and tampons along with words of affirmation.

"Working with Sakthi to fund these kits and grow the non-profit has been an extremely rewarding experience. It is clear that the entire team is devoted to making a real difference," Shradha said. "I love working with such a warm, attentive team. We could never have come this far without everyone's hard work and commitment."

As Shradha mentioned, reaching the milestone of 2,000 kits by raising $3,500 was no small feat, and one that could not have been accomplished without a collective team effort. By pooling members' incomes and meeting monthly to assemble kits, Empower Essentials has strengthened its sense of community and streamlined the process of sourcing and producing more kits.

This is just the beginning, as Empower Essentials aims to broaden its initiatives and amplify its impact. Their primary goal is to increase incoming funds to produce more kits, and they plan to pursue fundraising to help meet that need. They hope to continue hitting larger milestones and expanding their offerings to support emotional wellness and accessible learning.

Empower Essentials is a student-led nonprofit committed to uplifting the homeless community through direct, meaningful support. They raise funds to create and donate essential care kits to homeless shelters. For more information, visit empower-essentials.org, follow them on Instagram @empoweressentials25, or contact them at empoweressentials25@gmail.com.