Giving Back At a Young Age: Poonam Kamdar on Being a Youth Ambassador for Akshaya Patra and How She Strives to Always Give Back in Life.
“I made “helping others” a top priority in my life” It is the Season of Giving! As we approach the exciting holiday season, now is the time for giving back and for gratitude. Today’s woman dreamer, Poonam Kamdar, has been taking the initiative to give back from a young age, and inspiring those around her. Poonam shares her experience as a Youth Ambassador for Akshaya Patra, a NGO in India providing nutritious meals to school children daily. She discusses the Coin Jar program she founded, and how she finds time to give back in her busy everyday life. Enjoy her inspiring story below!
1) You were a Youth Ambassador and Founder of the Coin Jar program at Akshaya Patra, one of the largest organizations serving nutritious lunches to millions kids daily across schools in India. What inspired you to give back at a young age?
Throughout my childhood, my parents always taught me the importance of helping others. No matter how big or small the task, helping others and giving back has become an integral value for me to this day.
I was first introduced to Akshaya Patra (AP) in 2010 by my father, who had attended an annual gala and was deeply moved by the cause. He thought that AP’s mission would strongly resonate with me too and was he right! Akshaya Patra’s midday meals are solving three different causes at once: Education, Hunger, and Equality. As a young student at the time, I could not imagine going a school day without eating. AP’s amazing work inspired me to get more involved.
With my parents’ support and guidance, in 2011, I started the Akshaya Patra Coin Jar Program, a grassroots fundraising initiative. Over time, I have continued supporting Akshaya Patra in a variety of ways and am still very active in the Tristate chapter. I am continuously inspired by Akshaya Patra’s accomplishments to keep helping others.
2) It is challenging to balance giving back and service with day-to-day work and school. How did you balance giving back and charity work with your college education and early career?
Establishing priorities, along with good time management and organizational skills, allows me to successfully balance my philanthropic goals with educational and career goals. I made “helping others” a top priority in my life once I started college. Similar to my childhood days, this meant everything from mentoring an intern at work to volunteering with my sorority in college to helping Akshaya Patra. Helping others and giving back was often integrated into my college experience and early career responsibilities, giving me even more opportunities to do everything I love.
3) You also work in Private Banking. Back track to your freshmen year in college, what is the biggest piece of advice you would give yourself and to young women on networking and building your career?
Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there! Early in my college career, I had a good idea about what I wanted to do with my life but it wasn’t until I did my research through networking that I found the perfect career path for me. Part of getting yourself out there is having the confidence to do so and the other half is really just “faking it till you make it.” Having an open mind, along with a positive attitude and curiosity, will help you differentiate yourself from your peers early in your career.
4) And as a #Dreamcatchers platform, I have to ask, what is your next big dream?
In all honesty, I’m not sure! What I do know is that no matter what I end up doing, both personally and professionally, I want to be able to look back proudly on my legacy. One of the ways that I know I can accomplish this is by continuing to help others and giving back.