With the recent start of the school year, many families are in need of supplies they’re unable to readily access because of the pandemic. Robinson senior Rohan Joshi started a project over the summer to provide aid to these impacted families, collecting donations to benefit the Tampa General Hospital Family Care Center Healthpark Clinic.

The supply drive helps families near the TGH clinic who can’t obtain school supplies due to COVID-19. Donated supplies can be collected both through pick-ups at donor’s homes, or by purchasing supplies on Joshi’s Amazon wishlist.

“I was inspired to organize this project because the pandemic has caused widespread stress—mental, physical and financial—on many people,” Joshi said. “In many situations, the cost of treatment and inability to go to work limit families from purchasing toys, games, book and school supplies for their children.”

The drive began as his Eagle Scout Project, a community service project for Boy Scouts. Joshi contacted potential donors through a variety of ways—text, Remind, email, Instagram—to collect the supplies. Donors, if they agree, are either directed to his website to sign up for a house collection day, or to the Amazon wishlist to donate virtually.

Once the supplies have been collected, organized and packed into boxes, Joshi drives them to the clinic. At the clinic, affected families can request specific supplies that they need the most. Despite being aimed towards COVID-19 relief, the idea isn’t new for Joshi, who plans to go into healthcare.

“He [Joshi] has always kind of talked about doing some sort of give-back with healthcare,” Sadé Wallace (’21) said.

Joshi was inspired to help this clinic after volunteering at TGH’s pediatric department in summer of 2019.

“I witnessed firsthand the profound impact that books, toys, games and crafts have on patients and their families,” Joshi said. “Something like an action figure, ball, slime, nail decorations, board game or art project can mean the world to the kids.”