Student Volunteers Share 5,000 School Supplies in Texas
School supplies can seem like a small thing. But for a child who starts the year without them, the gap can feel big. That is the problem a student-led nonprofit in the Dallas-Fort Worth area of Texas is working to fix.
On 15 October, the volunteering organisation Points of Light named Megha Pillai, from Carrollton, Texas, as a Daily Point of Light Award honoree. The award celebrates people who make a difference in their communities through volunteering.
Megha saw how many under-resourced students in her area began the school year without basic supplies, and how that hurt their confidence and their ability to succeed. She believes educational equity begins with equal access to basic learning tools. In June 2024, she co-founded DFW Tools4Schools Foundation to close that gap.
As co-founder and Chief Marketing Officer, she leads digital marketing, community outreach and volunteer operations. She builds partnerships with local businesses, connects with school districts and manages a network of more than 70 student volunteers.
The results are adding up. Her team has hosted 10 community volunteer events and handed out more than 5,000 school supplies and 500 complete kits to local students. For Megha, the best reward is knowing that the supplies ease stress for families and help students do well from the very first day of school.
Running an organisation from the ground up has also taught her about planning, clear communication and solving problems as they come. Her advice for anyone who wants to help is simple: start small, look at the needs in your own community and bring friends along. Every contribution matters, she says, whether it is one hour at a local event or building something completely new.
