Ridge Seniors Spread Comfort, Joy To Those In Need Through 'Hearts For Healing'

BASKING RIDGE, NJ — Two Ridge High School seniors passionate about giving back and making a difference in this world have created the organization "Hearts for Healing" to provide small yet meaningful support to those in need.

Hasini Namburi and Mayank Jadhav came up with the idea for the student-led organization in the summer of 2024. Both had volunteered at medical facilities where they experienced firsthand the importance of health care. Now they are on a mission to spread healthcare awareness.

"I am very passionate about engineering rehabilitative solutions for patients with disabilities. I’ve worked with and seen patients from Matheny - a rehab center - where engineers create specific prosthetics for these patients. I am in love with this idea, but of course, making prosthetics as seniors in high school is a little unachievable," said Namburi. "Hearts for Healing is our way of giving back to the community. Our community has provided so much to us, including free education, friendly neighbors, and so much more."

"I feel like it's important to give back," said Jadhav. "I've seen firsthand how easy it is for vulnerable people to be overlooked. Working at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Institute showed me how even basic care isn't always guaranteed. If you have the ability and resources to help, you have a responsibility to use them to make someone else’s situation a little better."

They launched Hearts for Healing in the fall of 2024 and have since brought together a team of high school students with the same mission - to help others. Currently, they are in the process of becoming a 501(c)3 non-profit.

Their first project was a fundraiser for Feeding Hands, a food shelter for underprivileged families in Hillsborough, where they raised about $1,000 and provided hygiene kits with toothbrushes, shower gel, shampoo, and conditioner.

The second project was with Hackensack Meridian Hospitals, where they donated $2,000 worth of hygiene products, as well as some games and puzzles, to more than 3,000 patients.

"Now, we’re reaching beyond borders and asking for your help to support patients in Nigeria," said Namburi and Jadhav. "Together with the Inioluwa Olorunlagba (IOV) Foundation - which provides free healthcare across Nigeria - and Knots of Support, which spreads positivity through handmade bracelets, we’re bringing essential care to those who need it most."

The organization is looking to collect funds to donate hygiene kits (toothbrushes, toothpaste, floss) to those in need in Nigeria.

Donations will be collected through the end of October.

"Every contribution, no matter the size, helps us take one step closer to improving the health and happiness of patients in Nigeria. Together, we can make a difference — one smile at a time," according to the Hearts for Healing fundraiser.

For more information or to support Hearts for Healing, visit hearts-for-healing.com or follow on Instagram at instagram.com/heartsforhealing.

To donate hygiene kits for Nigerian patients, visit gofund.me/d85a7584e.

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