The HEARD Foundation
HEARD is a student-run, IRS tax-exempt 501(C)(3) nonprofit organization that provides a variety of resources to displaced children to promote their physical and mental well-being, and enable them to lead a healthy and balanced lifestyle.
Our Story
Sometimes simple experiences can lead to profound impacts. Through tutoring displaced children, I was able to teach them to read and write, and they taught me how to see the world through their eyes and understand their challenges.
My experiences motivated me to think of ways I could make a much larger impact on this critical population not only within the state of Texas but also across the United States of America.
We founded “HEARD – Healthy Resources for Displaced Children”, a nonprofit organization that provides a variety of resources and early interventions to promote physical activity and mental well-being among displaced children.
– Nikhil Parida, Primary Founder
Mission: Our mission is to enable displaced children to lead a healthy and balanced lifestyle by providing them with the resources to engage in a variety of indoor and outdoor activities.
Vision: We will be a leading non-profit and cornerstone of the community that enables displaced children to lead a healthy and balanced lifestyle, regardless of their nationality.
Values: Empathy, Equality, Integrity, Respect, Passion, Inclusivity
Issue: Currently, in the United States around 25% of children live in refugee or immigrant families and already face significant trauma and challenges due to their forced displacement. Refugee children are 5 times more likely to be out of school than other children due to a lack of educational resources. A lack of financial freedom makes books, shoes, and clothes unaffordable.
Root Causes/Barriers: We identified the barriers impacting displaced children’s physical activity and mental health under two main contexts
Within families
Poverty/low income levels, parents’ work schedules, lack of interest, lack of resources, and competing commitments.
At the community level
Affordability, safety, illicit activity in public spaces, access to high-quality facilities, transportation, neighborhood inequities, program availability, lack of information, and low community engagement.
Helping hands are better than Praying Lips
Mother theresa
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The HEARD foundation 