A combination of family-inspired philanthropy and an awareness of what frontline health care workers face on a daily basis was the motivation for Ashley Wang to make a difference.
The 18-year-old Riverwood High senior came up with a creative plan to feed hospital workers and recently earned statewide recognition from the Daughters of the American Revolution for her efforts.
“The idea came from one of my close friend’s uncles who is a surgeon and who told us that since COVID started, he’d been on constant call,” said Wang. “And my dad owns Jinya, a restaurant in Athens, and he started donating meals to different hospitals. I wanted to keep doing that, but I had to figure out how to raise the money to buy them.”
Wang hit on the idea of embroidering T-shirts and selling them to underwrite the food purchases.
“I looked online for a seller who sold shirts in bulk, and I bought an embroidery set and taught myself how to do it from YouTube videos.”
She then found logistical support through friends and a service class she takes as part of her International Baccalaureate studies. Two pals pitched in to help custom embroider designs buyers requested that included a hamster, flowers and mountains. Together they packaged and delivered the final goods. Another friend helped figure out overall costs. Shirts sold for $16, and so far with donations, the program has raised almost $3,000 for meals Wang and her friends personally took to hospital workers.
This is Wang’s second foray into philanthropy. In her freshman year, she organized Boxes of Hope, a program that packed up groceries and necessities for families in Puerto Rico who were impacted by hurricanes there. A GoFundMe page raised money to assemble 24 big boxes and ship them to people in need.
Wang wrote about her giving spirit in an essay for the Sandy Springs DAR chapter’s Good Citizen Award and Scholarship Contest. After winning top honors regionally, she was also honored by the state organization. She’s currently competing for national recognition.
Meanwhile, Wang continues to raise money by selling T-shirts in order to deliver more meals. They’re available on her website, food4thefrontlines.com.
Who’s doing good? Each week, we write about a deserving individual, charity events such as fun-runs, volunteer projects and other community gatherings that benefit a good cause. To suggest an event or person for us to cover, contact us at ajc.doinggood@gmail.com.
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