Matthew Asir plays the classical sitar and Rachel dances during a performance at HOPE 2013 on Oct. 25, 2013. Matther and Rachel hosted the fundraising event to support American Friends Service Committee’s Juvenile Justice program.
For the past four years, Princeton teens Matthew and Rachel Asir have been giving less privileged children in the community hope.
They have also raised more than $30,000 for various charities that support these children.
Each year, Matthew, age 16, and Rachel, age 14, host a fundraising event called HOPE at their home. The event includes dinner, speeches and a performance of classical sitar and dance by the teens.
Giving Back Foundation founder and CEO, Meera Gandhi, was the keynote speaker at HOPE 2013, held on Oct. 25.
This year’s event benefited the American Friends Service Committee’s Juvenile Rights Program. Matthew and Rachel’s fundraising goal is $12,500; they have raised $9,500 thus far. One-hundred percent of the proceeds are donated to the organization.
The Juvenile Rights program staff works with children escaping political persecution, fleeing war, abusive families, sexual and human traffickers or other dangerous or difficult conditions in their home countries. These children arrive in the United States unaccompanied by their parents or legal guardians.
Approximately one-third of these children are detained in a secure jail-like facility designed for the incarcerated adults. Children held in immigration detention are detained for administrative reasons, not as punishment for criminal behavior.
AFSC and Juvenile Rights staff in Newark have assisted nearly 250 children over 10 years, ensuring that they have legal representation at the Immigration Court hearings.
Funds raised Matthew and Rachel support their goal of ensuring that the most vulnerable children get the justice they deserve without any consideration of their age, family background, race or immigration status.
In 2012, the teens raised $7,000 for HiTOP of Princeton, which is dedicated to educating and counseling teens about pregnancies prevention and safe sex. The previous two years they raised $6,500 for the Pediatric Epilepsy Program of the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and $9,000 to purchase laptops for high school students participating of Urban Promise in Camden.
Matthew, 16, is a sophomore attending a 400-year-old all-boys boarding school in London. He previously attended the Princeton Academy in Princeton. Matthew completed a summer internship with the Grameen Foundation last year.
Rachel, 14, is a freshman at the Stuart Country Day School. She is passionate about serving the children in her community.
They are still accepting donations for the Juvenile Rights program; checks can be made payable to AFSC and mailed to 3735 Lawrenceville Road, Princeton, N.J., 08540.
