The Salt & Light Spotlight Presents Under My Umbrella
How do we change the world? One random act of kindness at a time.
Morgan Freeman
In February, we celebrate many different events here at It’s Only Homeschooling. Black History Month, World Read Aloud Day (February 1st), Groundhog Day (February 2nd), National Homemade Soup Day (February 4th), Valentine’s Day, President’s Day (February 20th), and International Play Therapy Week (February 5th-11th) to name a few.
From the silly to the serious, by far one of our favorites is Random Acts of Kindness Day (February 17th) and Week (February 13th-19th).
In the spirit of being the change we wish to see in this world, we have chosen to shine our Salt & Light Spotlight for February 2023 on a grassroots organization that is changing the world one random act of kindness at a time, Under My Umbrella.
If you never had to stand up to something – to get up, to be knocked down, and to get up again – life can walk over you wearing football cleats. But each time you do get up, you’re bigger, taller, finer, more beautiful, more kind, more understanding, more loving. Each time you get up, you’re more inclusive. More people can stand under your umbrella.
Maya Angelou
Preparing the Soil
Through struggle comes strength and responsibility.
Mission Statement, Under My Umbrella
Under My Umbrella is a 501 (C) 3 community service organization founded partly by mom and philanthropist, Christina Cheng.
Her cofounders?
None other than her to young boys, Ishaan Cheng-Patel and Avinash Cheng-Patel.
While these young Good Samaritans are currently in high school and middle school, respectively, their ambitions to service began long ago. The boys have served alongside their mother in community outreach, as my late Mama would say since they were “knee-high to a grasshopper.”
As a mom, Christina recognized early on the value of instilling empathy and kindness in her boys from a young age. Yet, finding service opportunities for young children presented a challenge. Undeterred, the mom made a way to include her children in her outreach efforts, often coming up with projects on her own to give her boys real-world experiences.
Planting A Seed
It was a blisteringly hot day in North Texas when Christina took her youngest son, Avinash “Avi” then aged 7, with her to work. At the corner of her office in the heart of Dallas stood an unsheltered person who was panhandling. Seeing another human in need, her son asked if they could give the man a bottle of water.
Christina explained to Avi that she did not have a bottle of water with her at the time, but that she would get one on her lunch break and they could give it to the man together. She kept her promise. But when mother and son went to look for the gentleman later in the day, he was nowhere to be found.
Her son was devastated.
But not for long. Together, the family developed a plan. They saw a need in the world and decided to do something about it.
Life Giving Water
The following weekend, the family purchased cases of bottled water and snacks. Christina loaded up her SUV and hit the streets. The mom and her two young boys, wagons in tow, began handing them out to anyone in need.
Watching Her Garden Grow
Seeing the seeds of stewardship she had planted begin to bloom, Christina quickly realized her young family needed support. While their good works were making an impact, the sheer number of unsheltered individuals in the city of Dallas alone evidenced a need for more hands on deck.
The family reached out to the community, soliciting help from anyone willing to participate in their little family project.
But their “little project” did not stay little for long.
Friends, family, and neighbors began to join them on their treks. Soon, evenings and weekends were devoted to service.
Harvest Time
Before they were old enough to enter kindergarten, Christina felt it was important to teach her boys that they were not too small to make an impact on the world. “I wanted to show them that it does not matter how small their contribution is. It is important. It is impactful. And it can grow into something bigger.”
Beyond stewardship, empathy, and compassion, through this family project, Christina has taught her boys life lessons not found in any textbook, such as work-life balance, problem-solving, and perseverance.
For adults, learning balance is a process. Now imagine being a sophomore in high school, figuring out how to fit it all in: learning to drive, studying for your SATs, squeezing in time with friends, and shuffling distribution schedules as the operations manager of a 501(c) 3 community service organization.
Sound tough? You bet it is. But Ishaan Cheng-Patel takes the challenge in stride, noting the importance of community outreach:
You get to interact with people. You get to hear their stories and learn from them and they can maybe learn from you too, so everyone is learning together.
Ishaan Cheng-Patel, Co-Founder Under My Umbrella
What about juggling the demands of middle school while simultaneously organizing neighborhood outreach and being the chief web designer for the non-profit you co-founded with your sibling and mom?
Sound tiring?
It does to me, too. But Avinash Cheng-Patel sees a greater good beyond the fatigue. The 7th-grader genuinely enjoys helping others.
I like to see people happy. When I see someone happy, it makes me happy too.
Avinash Cheng-Patel, Co-Founder Under My Umbrella
To me, as the mother of a young son living in a world with so many questionable “role models,” I can say this about these two young men – faith in humanity restored.
Sharing the Bounty
When something feels this good, you don’t keep it to yourself!
Before long, word spread of the family’s community service. And their “little project” grew in a big way.
From her early beginnings volunteering in homeless shelters with her children, to handing out bottles of water, hygiene essentials, hot coffee, warm blankets, and nonperishable food items, Christina’s efforts began to draw attention.
In 2022, Christina’s name was suggested by friend and “big sister” Rosalind Bryant, founder of Helping Hands Open Hearts (a Dallas nonprofit), for honor and recognition at the Inspiring Women’s Gala.
Ever humble, Christina recounted how she looked around the room filled with successful women – small business owners, nonprofit founders, and prominent social media influencers, and thought, “I don’t belong here.”
Thankfully, the “imposter syndrome” did not last long. Overwhelmed by the outpouring of support and encouragement, Christina felt inspired by the camaraderie of the room. Women united together in a common goal, service.
While she is still humble, she sits a bit taller, her back a bit straighter in her chair as she recounts to me with a warm smile the gratitude she felt from the more seasoned ladies at the event. In fact, it was this event that gave her the push she needed to finally file for nonprofit status for her family’s “little service project.”
In October 2022, Under My Umbrella was born.
Replant
We believe that hard work, consistency, and mutual respect has formed the foundation for Under My Umbrella. We say that it is indeed hard work but it is most definitely “heart work.”
Christina Cheng, Co-founder, Under My Umbrella
The hard work of their “heart work” has helped not only nurture two young men but also inspired their supporters to help change the world, one random act of kindness at a time.
From her lifelong experience in service, Christina knows all too well the challenges that parents of young children face when looking for volunteer opportunities. With this knowledge, Christina has put in the extra effort to make volunteering with Under My Umbrella flexible and accommodating for busy families.
If you live in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and would like to support Under My Umbrella, you can contact Christina Cheng through her website – www.under-my-umbrella.org.
Consider donating to their Neighbor Outreach Program, a program providing food, clothing, and other essentials to unsheltered/vulnerable communities weekly. You can support them with a click of your mouse through their Amazon Wishlist.
Monetary donations are also accepted. Below are some ways you can help with monetary donations:
To donate (please note Neighbor Outreach)
Paypal:UnderMyUmbrellaDFW@gmail.com
CashApp:$UnderMyUmbrellaDFW
Zelle:UnderMyUmbrellaDFW@gmail.com
Perhaps you would like to support their Rainy Day Fund, a program to fill in the gaps for small specific needs, such as school supplies for a family, bus fare for a medical appointment, or interview clothing. To make a monetary contribution to the Rainy Day Fund, see below:
To donate (please note Rainy Day Fund)
Paypal:UnderMyUmbrellaDFW@gmail.com
Zelle:UnderMyUmbrellaDFW@gmail.com
CashApp:$UnderMyUmbrellaDFW
Love helping around the holidays? Consider participating in their Holiday Outreach Program, a program meant to spread love to children at a shelter and seniors at an assisted living facility through their Build-A-Tree and Light-A-Menorah project. For more information on how you can support UMU’s Holiday Outreach Program click here.
Want To Know More?
The good news about the good works of this family continues to spread. Ishaan and Avi were recently featured as Rising Stars in Voyage Dallas Magazine, a periodical highlighting inspirational stories in the Dallas area. Check out the article here.
Be sure to tune in to our next podcast episodes to learn more about Under My Umbrella. In these Salt & Light Spotlight episodes, we will speak with Christina and learn the inspiration behind the name of her nonprofit. (Poetry lovers and origami fans, you will not be disappointed!) Listen as Christina shares personal anecdotes, words of wisdom, and stories of inspiration to help you cultivate a servant’s heart in your home.
You can listen right here on our website, on our YouTube channel, or at Podbean.
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Blessings,
Kimberly
IOH Mom
This website is not a professional counseling website and nothing here should be construed as professional counseling advice. Although Kimberly Bennett, LPC is a Licensed Professional Counselor, she is not your counselor, and no counselor-client relationship is established unless she has signed an agreement with you. All information provided through this website is for informational and educational purposes only.This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure statement. Thanks for visiting!
