Care to Care NC is a nonprofit organization that was founded earlier this year by Tagel-Din and Ashna Luhadia (‘24), because of Tagel-Din’s powerful story; “when my mother got diagnosed with cancer, I started visiting the hospital so much more often. The environment there was so draining, but when I walked in one time with flowers and cookies everybody lit up which gave me the idea to spread this to more people.”
Tagel-Din was quick to pursue this idea as soon as her mother’s health recovered. She gathered a group of 4 other board members including Luhadia, Dillon Ho (‘24), Kaylin Long (‘24) and Christina Kang (‘24) who all strove to support her passion. When asked about their impact, Ho responded, “we donate care packages to children and workers in hospitals monthly… the packages typically have things like socks, stickers, cards and other little gifts.”
These donations are not only supporting the children and employees in hospitals, but also help bring the community together. Tagel-Din revealed, “we try to make the donations a community event that involves other organizations or even families and younger kids.” Oftentimes, meetings will take place at parks and other large, outdoor areas to foster a sense of community for those outside of Care to Care NC who wish to support their purpose.
Medical issues and doctor appointments are topics that can divide families due to the dark environment that hospitals can be. While they are often gloomy, Care to Care works hard to lessen the burden of being in a doctor’s office for patients and doctors alike, unifying the community within these large spaces of blank walls and medical instruments.
Other than these monthly meetings, Tagel-Din, Ho and other board members frequently travel to nearby hospitals to drop off the care packages. “We go to UNC, Duke, WakeMed Raleigh, WakeMed Cary and UNC Rex. We contact them beforehand and give extra donations to the workers directly… The most fulfilling aspect was seeing the kids and employees light up and thank us. They also frequently write us Thank-You cards which means so much to me,” said Tagel-Din.
Care to Care NC has had quite a few “rough bumps” in Tagel-Din’s opinion. “We had never started a Nonprofit before, and all the initial fees and paperwork were a lot for us. Despite this, as soon as we got our first donations, all of it was worth it.” Ho also spoke on the value of their work, “seeing the kids put a smile on their face, because in the hospital it’s usually a tough time, is so incredibly rewarding for us.”
With over 40 consistent, monthly volunteers and an impact on over 50 children in the triangle area, Tagel-Din and the board members have watched Care to Care NC blossom into a powerful community nonprofit. Stemming from such a powerful story, Tagel-Din’s passion for sparking excitement and joy is improving communities a donation at a time.
For more information about the organization, visit https://caretocarenc3.godaddysites.com/.
