Zaparde is the founder of ‘Sew A Future’.
AB Wire
An Indian American teenager from New Jersey, Ruchita Zaparde, of Plainsboro, is one of four young community leaders from across the country who was honored with a 2015 Nickelodeon HALO Award during a concert on November 29, across Nickelodeon, TeenNick, Nicktoons, TV Land, CMT, Nick.com and the Nick App.
Now in its seventh year, Nickelodeon HALO Awards is an annual awards show that recognizes real-life kids that are doing extraordinary things in their communities. In addition to being awarded a grant for their organization and scholarship funds, each HALO Award honoree is given an once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to meet and connect with celebrities that share their same passion for service.
The concert special featured a special appearance by pop icon Justin Bieber, and performances by Fifth Harmony, DNCE with lead singer Joe Jonas, Flo Rida, Tori Kelly and WALK THE MOON. The music superstars joined host, creator and executive producer Nick Cannon, along with stars of Nickelodeon’s hit shows, to celebrate the four teens who are Helping and Leading Others (HALO) in their communities. The awards ceremony was taped earlier this month at New York’s Pier 36, reported mycentraljersey.com.
The 18-year-old Zaparde, a student at Princeton Day School in Princeton, is being honored for her commitment to helping those in need. After a family trip to India exposed Zaparde to the plight of widows and the difficulties they faced, she started an effort Sew A Future to help those women achieve financial stability by becoming seamstresses. Zaparde identifies widows in need in India, delivers sewing machines and supplies, and connects the kids who are fundraising in the U.S. to the recipients.
More than 200 families have been raised out of poverty with the gift of a sewing machine, thanks to the fundraising efforts of over 1,400 students in 30 states.
“Receiving this honor was actually a surprise,” she said, said the report. “I had no idea I was a 2015 Nickelodeon HALO Honoree up until about a month ago, which was actually how it was planned. Winning this award is an honor. I am happy I had the chance to meet some inspiring, like-minded individuals so share similar aspirations when it comes to helping others. Being a HALO Honoree means sharing Sew A Future on a platform larger than I’ve even been a part of before, which is incredible.”
Giving back is something that Zaparde said is very important, especially for teens.
“It is of utmost importance for teens to give back to their community,” Zaparde continued, reported mycentraljersey.com. “We all get so caught up in our lives that sometimes we forget there are people living in our global community who struggle to get by on a daily basis. It is important for everyone to recognize that there are others who do not have the bare necessities of life that sometimes we take for granted. Making a difference and creating positive change, no matter how big or small, is crucial for teens to make an impact, because we all have a responsibility to better our communities.”
The night is something she will always remember, the report said.
“The night of the show was filled with much excitement because of the different performances, various Nickelodeon stars attending the show, and the 2015 HALO Honorees,” she said. “It was truly incredible being part of such a wonderful initiative to shed light on the work of teens across the nation and show others that they can make a difference, too.
“Meeting recording artists was also a highpoint of the evening,” she added. “During the show, I had a chance to meet Fifth Harmony, Flo Rida, and DNCE. In Orlando, Florida, as an earlier part of the show, I got to meet Walk The Moon.”
The other Nickelodeon HALO Awards honorees are:
- Ethan Cruikshank, 16, Mechanicsville, Virginia — A guitar player since the age of seven, Cruikshank was inspired to start Music to My Ears after his school cut music education funding. Since then, Cruikshank’s music program has helped over 100 kids across four states by providing free music lessons through volunteer teachers and distributing instruments to those who can’t afford them.
- Riley Gantt, 15, Sherman Oaks, California. – Gantt’s organization Rainbow Pack was born out of her desire to provide kids with the supplies they need to do their homework and be successful learners, regardless of their economic circumstances. With funds raised through fundraising, grants, social media and school supply drives, she has successfully donated more than 9,000 backpacks filled with school supplies to kids in the Los Angeles area.
- Joshua Williams, 14, Miami Beach, Florida — Williams’ commitment to eradicate hunger started with a roadside donation to a starving man when he was four and a half years old. Through his organization, Joshua’s Heart Foundation, he designed a food distribution system in local churches, schools and community centers, and continues to raise awareness of hunger and poverty at speaking engagements. He has distributed more than 1.1 million pounds of food in South Florida, Jamaica and Africa to date, and helped feed over 50,000 people nationwide.
Zaparde’s efforts continue to grow as she spreads awareness to children across the United States. Sew A Future has organized fundraisers in 30 states and included the participation of 57 schools and 1,400 students. Over the past six years, Sew A Future has brought 217 families out of poverty through the gift of a sewing machine.
“There’s no better way to begin the holiday season than by celebrating the amazing work of these four teens and our first HALO Hall of Fame recipient Justin Bieber at the Nickelodeon HALO Awards,” said Cannon, reported broadwayworld.com. “Justin’s commitment to granting wishes for kids is unparalleled, and his ability to inspire and lead others through his positive actions is at the core of what HALO is all about.”
Bieber will be presented with the first-ever HALO Hall of Fame Award, an honor given to a celebrity who helps and leads others by making the world a better place, in recognition of his outstanding charitable work with Make-A-Wish(R) and Pencils of Promise. Bieber’s involvement with Make-A-Wish–the global organization which grants wishes for children with life-threatening medical conditions–has been longstanding. Since 2009, he has granted a wish at nearly every tour stop where he visits with wish kids and their families, takes photographs and signs autographs before they attend his concert. Over the last six years, he has granted more than 250 wishes for his fans. In addition, Bieber is a big supporter of Pencils of Promise, which works to build schools and increase educational opportunities in the developing world.