Today we’d like to introduce you to Paresh Chotaliya.
Hi Paresh, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Poorna Foundation began with the belief that every child deserves access to quality education, regardless of their background or social status.
We began by teaching Algebra 1 around a kitchen table and Speech & Debate at a local clubhouse, and then gradually grew our space.
From those days of hosting small summer camps from our home, we expanded to larger rooms as more families joined our community. Students can now participate in more events such as Speech & Debate, Robotics, the World Scholar’s Cup, and other summer camps.
What started as a few passionate people in a living room has grown into a foundation that has impacted over 7,000 students and supported the community.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
A successful organization would not be without its challenges. We started off small with no formal space, no big budget, and no reputation, yet the biggest challenge is getting people to believe in what you’re building. Trying to get spaces to help our initative and build trust wasn’t easy at first as we just had a few group of students first.
There were also growing pains as we expanded-mangaging more students, finding space to help students, recruiting volunteers, and doing all of this while keeping costs low so families don’t have to struggle to afford our initiatives.
But now, every time a student showed up eager to learn and participate, it reminded us why we started and those moments kept us going through the tough times.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
At Poorna Foundation, we are committed to developing young minds through education in the Houston area. We believe in providing a nurturing environment that fosters holistic growth and learning.
Our vision is to create a world where every child has access to quality education, regardless of their background or socio-economic status. We aim to break barriers and empower the next generation of leaders.
We offer a range of programs including summer camps, Speech & Debate, Robotics, the World Scholar’s Cup, and community engagement events for K-12 students. We have mentorship initatives including Learn & Grow that occurs every Saturday, where we pair students with guidance and support to help them reach their academic goals.
We’re proud of the fact that we’ve impacted over 7,000 students from the United States and on an international basis, including providing scholarships to students in India to give them a chance to further their education. We’ve even taken our students to compete on the global stage in the World Scholar’s Cup-most recently in Ljubljana.
If you have a child who is looking for more opportunities to learn or if you want to make a difference in a young peron’s life as a volunteer or donor, Poorna Foundation is the place to begin.
What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
The most important lesson we’ve learned is that community is everything. You cannot build something meaningful alone. In the early days, we thought passion and a vision was enough, but what truly helped Poorna Foundation expand was the people who believed in our vision and showed up, whether as volunteers, parents, donors, or students. We are incredibly grateful for the support of the community and hope to continue giving back!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://poornafoundation.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/poorna.foundation?igsh=MTBlemZjaWIwYWE3bg==
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@poornafoundation/videos
