one by one®: Hannah and Amelia’s Angels Foundation
Imagine turning tremendous grief into a mission to make the world a better place for children. For Dina Basi, founder of Hannah and Amelia’s Angels Foundation, the idea came as an “aha moment.”
Basi and her husband, Rajpal Sander, experienced the traumatic loss of daughters Hannah, who was stillborn in 2006, and Amelia, who was stillborn in 2008. Heartbroken, Basi wanted to find purpose in carrying on her daughters’ memories, but she wasn’t sure exactly how. The inspiration struck like lightning during a trip to an Indian orphanage in 2013.
“I didn’t know what the purpose of my trip was at the time,” Basi said. “This orphanage was where people were abandoning their little girls, and they were taking them in, educating them and feeding them. I was struck by the selflessness and knew that in Hannah and Amelia’s memory, I was going to do something to help.”
Together, Basi and the orphanage’s leaders identified a goal to build a playground for the girls.
“We had a fundraiser and sold out within a week,” Basi explained. “And then we built the playground in India as a safe place for the girls to play.”
After a year, Basi knew that she wanted to continue the work.
“I knew this was going to be my legacy,” Basi said, “so I kept going.”
How fundraising promotional items keep donors engaged and make new projects possible
Fast forward to 2023, and Hannah and Amelia’s Angels Foundation has raised more than $118,000 for projects to assist women and children living in poverty in and around Jalandhar, Chandhigar and Baljeet Nagar, India, as well as the Surrey School District in British Columbia. The foundation also helps local organizations, like homeless shelters. Projects include playgrounds, after school programs, bathroom facilities, school backpacks and other essential school supplies.
Perhaps one of the largest projects that Hannah and Amelia’s Angels Foundation continues to support is the 2017 purchase and conversion of two rooms into a small school and community kitchen. There, 70 children receive education and more than 200 people receive meals daily. Hannah and Amelia’s Angels Foundation continues to provide yearly funding for the teachers’ salaries, school supplies, hygiene kits, kitchen supplies and food for this crucial community resource.
Locally, Basi is also working with the Surrey School District and an organization called Girls in Action to inspire girls in grades five through seven to gain confidence, social skills and leadership skills.
This year, for the foundation’s 10-year anniversary, Basi is excited to host a fundraiser to commemorate their first decade of work, as well as raise money for the school district.
“It’s a golf tournament and wine tasting,” she explained. “We want to create welcome packages for the golfers.”
With fundraising promotional items, such as mint tins with golf ball-shaped mints, provided by a 4imprint one by one grant, Basi hopes to draw in more donors, make them feel appreciated and keep funds flowing for projects.
“This grant allows us to save the money that we would spend on these items and reinvest it in another area to continue helping people,” Basi said. “With our board of directors, no one takes a salary. This is something we do to give back.”
Though Basi is kept busy by her job and responsibilities as the foundation’s founder, she finds solace and meaning in her work to keep Hannah and Amelia’s memories strong.
“It was important as a mom that I keep their memories alive. I wanted to always keep their names going, even if they aren’t here anymore,” Basi stated. “People really downplay stillbirths or miscarriages. It’s really important to me to bring these topics to the forefront.”
A note from Cheryl
It is inspiring to see Hannah and Amelia’s Angels Foundation using fundraising promotional items to help children living in poverty. 4imprint is humbled to play a small role in this organization’s mission to honor the memories of its namesake by improving the lives of children. To learn more about a 4imprint one by one ® grant, visit onebyone.4imprint.ca.