New Trier Alumni Continue Charity Work for Chicago Youth

Dozens of volunteers came out Saturday afternoon to Northwestern University to pack backpacks full of school supplies to help roughly 1,300 underpriviledged students in Chicago Public Schools.

"We provide basic resources to CPS students in underfunded communities," said Aria Fiat, co-founder of  Supplies for Dreams, which organized the event. Supplies for Dreams is a not-for-profit that strives to provide students with critical resources: from school supplies to mentoring programs.

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This year's efforts will go to benefit Belmont-Craigin Elementary School in Humbolt Park and Manuel Perez Elementary School in Pilsen, as well as Chicago Youth Centers which brought in several of their own staff and student members to help with the supply drive.

Supplies for Dreams was founded by Hiro Kawashima and Aria Fiat in 2008, while they were students at New Trier High School.

Supplies for Dreams has since blossomed into a full-fledged non-profit run by a group of roughly 20 university students. Fiat and Kawashima continue to run the organization through Northwestern University, where they are both currently enrolled.

"It's just a big community event that is suppossed to be a fun way for people to come out and volunteer and have a chance to give back," Fiat said.