Foster City teen creates care packages for injured Palestinian children

Scouts service project delivers joy to injured Palestinians

An eagle scout from Foster City teamed up with Heal Palestine, an organization that helps injured children receive medical treatments in the United States, to deliver care packages.

FOSTER CITY, Calif. - A Bay Area teenager partnered with a nonprofit to create care packages for kids from Gaza.

An eagle scout from Foster City, 16-year-old Subadhra Krishnan, teamed up with Heal Palestine, an organization that helps injured children receive medical treatments in the United States.

As part of her scout qualifications, she led her troop to create more than 30 care packages for Palestinian children.

"I just thought it was really horrible that kids and teenagers have to go through crazy things like that," she said.

Her father, Krishnan Dhandapani said, "I did see that she was definitely impacted by the war."

Eagle Scouts service project delivers joy to injured children

With the help of about 30 volunteers, she packed hand-made jewelry, snacks, origami, and a special note, translated in Arabic.

"We reached out to a couple of very helpful Arabic speakers and they were able to translate all the letters," Krishnan said.

Each package was carefully crafted for the person who would open it.

"Some of them had race car t-shirts or soccer-related gifts," she said.

Krishnan worked with Heal Palestine to send the packages to Ohio, where dozens of the children were on a recreational retreat.

"They've lost loved ones, families, entire neighborhoods, everything that they know has been wiped out," said Talha Baqar, a volunteer for Heal Palestine. "It's heartwarming, and it's also really important in their recovery journey to restore that sense of belonging."

Dhandapani, a proud father, said he raised children to act when they see injustice.

"You can either feel sad about it or do something about it," he said.

Krishnan made sure each child left the U.S. with more than a bracelet and candies, but also a new friend, including friendship bracelets made popular by music concerts in each box.

Although the teen’s service project requirements are complete for Scouting America, she said she will continue to partner with Heal Palestine if the opportunity presents itself again.